Astro Seminar
Galactic archaeology with MUSE: connecting galaxy morphology and merger history
Speaker: Marie Martig (LJMU)
Date: Wednesday 15 April 2026
Time: 14:00
Venue: N3.28
Bulges and discs in nearby galaxies have complex structures, resulting from a large diversity of possible assembly histories. In this seminar, I will show how we use deep MUSE observations of nearby edge-on disc galaxies to study the connection between galaxy morphology and assembly history, and to probe the growth of discs with time and constrain disc settling and vertical heating. I will show that discs can settle very early, and can form bars quickly, and I will discuss the complex impact of mergers on disc thickening and bulge growth. I will also show that lenticular galaxies in the Fornax cluster form an interesting comparison point, with weak secular evolution and stunted radial growth because of the lack of fresh gas. Finally, I will give an overview of GECKOS, an ongoing MUSE survey of 36 nearby Milky Way-mass galaxies.