Testing the ergodicity of star formation within galaxies

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dc.contributor.advisor Thacker, Robert John, 1970-
dc.creator Smith, Fraser M.
dc.date.accessioned 2023-08-31T13:10:31Z
dc.date.available 2023-08-31T13:10:31Z
dc.date.issued 2023-08-11
dc.identifier.uri http://library2.smu.ca/xmlui/handle/01/31822
dc.description 1 online resource (xiii, 112 pages) : colour illustrations, graphs (some colour)
dc.description Includes abstract and appendix.
dc.description Includes bibliographical references (pages 104-112).
dc.description.abstract Part of our understanding of how galaxies evolve is based on individual evolutions inferred from population trends. In its strictest form, this approach implicitly assumes that the star formation properties of galaxies exhibit ergodic behaviours, such that the time averages of individual galaxies are equivalent to the average of the population at any given time. In this thesis, we analyze the validity of this assumption on simulated galaxies modelled after observed ones. We find that galaxies without stellar wind feedback are able to match observations and do not, in general, follow strictly ergodic star formation histories. Partial ergodicity is presented in an astronomical sense for the first time, in which subsets of galaxies exhibit time evolution broadly similar to ensemble averages when averaged over, and is observed in the modelled galaxies. Future studies are needed to include the impact of mergers, alternative feedback and stellar evolution models, and ideally a larger sample. en_CA
dc.description.provenance Submitted by Greg Hilliard (greg.hilliard@smu.ca) on 2023-08-31T13:10:31Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Smith_Fraser_MASTERS_2023.pdf: 4996447 bytes, checksum: 49267c5649121fb9e92cab74fb4b29d3 (MD5) en
dc.description.provenance Made available in DSpace on 2023-08-31T13:10:31Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Smith_Fraser_MASTERS_2023.pdf: 4996447 bytes, checksum: 49267c5649121fb9e92cab74fb4b29d3 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2023-08-11 en
dc.language.iso en en_CA
dc.publisher Halifax, N.S. : Saint Mary's University
dc.subject.lcsh Stars -- Formation
dc.subject.lcsh Galaxies -- Evolution
dc.subject.lcsh Ergodic theory
dc.subject.lcsh Stellar winds
dc.title Testing the ergodicity of star formation within galaxies en_CA
dc.type Text en_CA
thesis.degree.name Master of Science in Astronomy
thesis.degree.level Masters
thesis.degree.discipline Astronomy and Physics
thesis.degree.grantor Saint Mary's University (Halifax, N.S.)
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