The Milky Way Galaxy
We are fortunate to live at a strategic spot
in a galaxy of the type that currently dominates the cosmic star
formation rate. By studying the Milky Way galaxy with a precision
that is out of the question for other galaxies, we get unique insights
into how galaxies formed and evolved, and the role played in them by
still mysterious dark matter.
Observations of the Galaxy can be very confusing because it surrounds us — it's hard to see the wood for the trees! In these circumstances theoretical modelling has a vital role to play in creating order from confusion.
Research topics
- Galactic warps
- Chemodynamical evolution of the disk
- Modelling the galaxy
Past theses
- Mark Wilkinson, The Dark Matter Haloes of Galaxies: Masses and Lensing Properties
- Ralf Hafner, A Dynamical Model of the Inner Galaxy