Evolution of galaxies in groups and in agglomerations

Abstract

This is an application for funding of three micro-computers with large quantities of memory and disk space, a cluster of 16+1 PCs to allow astronomical simulations, and softwares and other instruments for use of the proponents, their graduate and undergraduate students, pos-doctoral researchers and visiting professors. The main scientific goal of the proposal is the continuation of the work in the fields the proponents have been working already. Specifically we plan to do: 1) optical imaging and spectroscopy of dwarf galaxies in nearby groups with z< 0.03 and of possible tidal dwarf galaxy candidates formed in the systems that may be in interaction; 2) imaging of galaxies in compact groups with a Fabry-Perot instrument and study of their internal kinematics; 3) detailed study of the stellar populations of elliptical galaxies in groups and clusters through the analysis of their spectral índices; 4) imaging of extragalactic globular clusters around galaxies in groups and the study of their properties; 5) imaging and spectroscopy of galaxies in groups with intermediate redshifts 0.1 < z < 0.3 to study their kinematics, to look for gravitational arcs and to analyse the morphological segregation phenomena at these redshifts; 6) search for galaxy clusters with high redshifts through imaging and spectroscopy of fields which contain pairs of quasars; 7) simulation of groups of galaxies and comparison with observations; 8) simulation of galaxy collisions and comparison with observations; 9) the study of the intra-cluster enrichment through analysis of X-ray data from rich clusters of galaxies. (AU)