2025/02/24 by Kartheik G. Iyer, Iyer, Kartheik G., Camilla Pacifici +6 · 1 voice · 3 citations
Physics and Astronomy · #Astronomy and Astrophysical Research #Energy (signal processing) #Galactic nuclei #Galaxies: Formation, Evolution, Phenomena #Galaxy #Galaxy formation and evolution #Measure (data warehouse) #Radio galaxy #Spectral energy distribution #Stellar, planetary, and galactic studies #TRACE (psycholinguistics)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2502.17680
published in arXiv (Cornell University) (Cornell University)
The spectral energy distribution (SED) of a galaxy represents the distribution of electromagnetic radiation emitted across all wavelengths, from radio waves to gamma rays. The galaxy SED is akin to its fingerprint, and serves as a fundamental tool in modern astrophysics. It enables researchers to determine crucial properties of galaxies, including their star-formation rates, stellar populations, dust content, and evolutionary state. By analyzing galactic SEDs, astronomers can reconstruct the physical processes occurring within galaxies and trace their evolutionary histories. This article explores our current understanding of the components that contribute to galactic SEDs, the observational techniques used to measure them, and their applications in understanding galaxy formation and evolution.