Date: Mon 22-Oct-2007
Speaker: Dr. Jin Koda (Caltech)
Title: Dynamically-driven ISM Evolution in the Galaxy and M51
Date: Tue 30-Oct-2007
Speaker: Dr. Susan Terebey (Cal State U, LA)
Title: Searching for Embedded Substellar Objects with the Spitzer Taurus Survey
Date: Mon 12-Nov-2007
Speaker: Dr. Hannah Jang-Condell (U of Maryland)
Title: Potential Observables of Planets Forming in Young Disks
Date: Mon 26-Nov-2007
Speaker: Dr. Julio Chaname (STSCI)
Title: Constraining Dark Matter Using (Resolved) Stars in Local Group Galaxies
I will discuss two approaches to the study of the nature of dark matter, both taking advantage of resolved stars in the halo of the Milky Way and other Local Group galaxies. First, I will argue for the large and relatively unexplored potential of binary systems with very wide orbital separations to complement the achievements of the microlensing experiments and put meaningful constraints on the mass and density of MACHOs in the Galactic halo. I will show the limits on MACHO dark matter found using wide binaries from the Revised NLTT catalog of high proper-motion stars, the largest sample of genuine wide binaries available today. Second, I will present recent work aimed at the modeling of the detailed internal dynamics of dwarf elliptical and dwarf spheroidal galaxies of the Local Group, which provide us with clues on the properties of dark matter on the smallest scales.
Date: Monday 21-Jan-2008
Speaker: Dr. Frederic Galliano (Univ. of Maryland)
Title: "Dust Evolution in Galaxies"
I will present the results of several studies aimed at understanding the evolution of the PAH and dust properties, as a function of both the environmental conditions and the metal enrichment of the system. I will first discuss the detailed variations of the mid-IR aromatic features through Galactic regions and nearby galaxies, and how these features can be related to the physical conditions. I will show how models of photodissociation regions can be used to investigate this subject. Then, I will discuss the long term evolution of dust in galaxies, comparing the grain production by various stellar progenitors to their destruction by SN blast waves and in HII regions.
