Nuclear Star Clusters (NSCs) lie at the centers of many galaxies, but their formation and growth mechanisms are still uncertain. For example, current theories propose that they could form in situ from gas that is funneled into the center of the galaxy, while other theories suggest that they originated as globular clusters further out in the galaxy which migrated inwards over time. In reality, it is likely that both mechanisms are true, and that the dominant mechanism is dependent on the mass of the galaxy. This project aims to understand how NSCs are formed and how they build their mass as a function of galaxy mass, and also to understand how the host galaxies form and evolve over time, in particular looking at the properties of the bulges and discs to better understand the origin of the progenitor gas or globular clusters that later formed the NSCs.
Type of project: Research – actively recruiting new young researchers
Status: Ongoing
Researchers: Evelyn Johnston
Funding source: FONDECYT Iniciación