Physics 607: Galaxies and Galaxy Dynamics
Spring 2026

Instructor Eric Gawiser Serin W303 Phone: 848-445-8874 Email: gawiser[at]physics.rutgers.edu Office hours: T Th 3:30-4pm Venue T Th 2:00-3:20pm in SEC 220

Textbooks

There are two textbooks for this course:

• Cimatti, Fraternali, & Nipoti (2020), Introduction to Galaxy Formation and Evolution (ISBN-13 9781107134768)
• Binney & Tremaine (2008), Galactic Dynamics (2nd edition) (ISBN-13 9780691130279))

  Overview

  Here's the official description from the course catalog:

  Prerequisite: 750:507, Classical Mechanics

  Properties of galaxies: photometry, structure, kinematics, gas content, chemical evolution. Structure of the Milky Way. Equilibrium, stability, and evolution of stellar systems. Dynamics and evolution of disk galaxies (spiral patterns, bars, warps) and elliptical galaxies. Examples of chaotic astrophysical systems.

  I plan to broaden this list of topics to include the modern theory for how galaxies form in the context of 'hierarchical structure formation' in the Lamba Cold Dark Matter cosmological model as well as galaxies' relationships with the circumgalactic medium (CGM) and the intergalactic medium (IGM). In general, I will try to highlight subjects that are important to areas of current research in extragalactic astrophysics and cosmology (e.g., galaxy formation, the enrichment of the intergalactic medium, and the reionization of the universe).

  The primary aim of this course is to establish a strong foundation of knowledge and techniques used to interpret the properties, characteristics, and dynamics of galaxies, including our own Milky Way Galaxy, galaxies in the nearby Universe, and galaxies in the distant Universe. By the end of the course students should be able to:

  • build a simple stellar population synthesis model for galaxies’ integrated starlight

  • identify different characteristics and origins of galaxies’ components and describe how they are measured

  • describe the evolution of gas across different temperatures, densities, and scales

  • diagram stellar orbits in a galaxy’s gravitational potential

  • concept map the theory of galaxy formation and evolution

  • formulate and pose fundamental questions about galaxy formation and evolution

  In addition to the primary learning objectives listed above, this course’s philosophy is based on the empirically validated idea that the best learning happens through applied practice. Therefore, the primary mode of assessment in this course will not be through memorization of material, but rather through the application of knowledge and understanding to applied research problems. By the end of this course, students should be able to:

  • discuss the tools of an observational astronomer

  • solve problems computationally, and make appropriate approximations as needed

  • read and synthesize material from review papers with present-day literature

  • write a scientific proposal

  • share, talk, and express informed opinions about galaxies with colleagues

  Schedule

  Both the sequence of lectures and the assignment due dates are preliminary; I will update them as needed during the course of the semester.

  I will include in the schedule the dates of any local talks that are relevant to the subject matter of this course. Attendance is encouraged but not required!

  LECTURE	DATE	TOPIC	TEXT	DUE
  1	Jan 20	course overview	Ch 1,2
  2	Jan 23	observations: stars and stellar populations	Ch 3
  3	Jan 27	observations: gas and dust
  4	Jan 29	dwarf galaxies, satellite galaxies, and the Local Group		PS1 due Feb. 5
  5	Feb 10	galaxy morphologies
  6	Feb 12	disk galaxy kinematics: axisymmetric	Ch 4, B&T 2.6
  7	Feb 24	disk galaxy kinematics: bars
  8	Feb 26	disk galaxy kinematics: spirals		PS2
  9	Mar 10	galaxy centers and scaling relations
  10	Mar 12	elliptical galaxies: dynamics	Ch 5, B&T 2.3	Choose proposal topic
  11	Mar 17	elliptical galaxies: stars and gas
  12	Mar 19	elliptical galaxies: scaling relations		PS3
  13	Mar 24	galaxy environments and mergers	Ch 6
  14	Mar 26	growth of structure in an expanding universe	Ch 7
  15	Mar 31	properties of dark matter halos
  16	Apr 2	galaxy formation	Ch 8	Observing proposal draft
  17	Apr 7	galaxy formation: theory vs. observations
  18	Apr 9	active galactic nuclei (AGN)		Observing proposal peer reviews
  19	Apr 14	the "baryon cycle": star formation and chemical evolution	Ch 9
  20	Apr 16	the "baryon cycle": outflows and the intergalactic medium	Ch 10	PS4
  21	Apr 21	high-redshift galaxies	Ch 11
  22	Apr 23	properties of high-redshift galaxies		Observing proposal: final version
  23	Apr 28	galaxy dynamics oveview	B&T 1,2
  24	Apr 30	orbits	B&T 3	PS5
  25	May 5	CBE; Jeans Equation	B&T 4
  26	May 7	Stability considerations	B&T 5

  Grading

  Your course grade will be based on a weighted combination of four elements:

  • participation during class (10%)
  • problem sets (50%)
  • observing proposal (30%)
  • observing proposal peer reviews (10%)

  To have a given absence excused from your semester average for class participation, you must file a report at this website. To excuse a large number of absences, a note from the Dean of Students must be presented.

  Homework assignments will be due in Canvas on Thursday at 11:59pm. Assignments will be of two types:

  • problem sets (denoted "PS" above), which will include straightforward examples or extensions of material discussed in lecture, as well as more involved applications to areas of current research that may encompass some computational work
  • writing assignments (denoted "WA" above), which will require no more than one page of text (prepared using a standard LaTeX template) and will be graded for prose style as well as content

  The final project will include an oral presentation (delivered in one of the last three regular class meetings) and a written paper (due at 11:59pm on May 8) on a topic relevant to extragalactic astronomy. The presentation should make use of slides and be ten minutes long. The paper should be 4-6 pages long (using a standard LaTeX template), plus figures and references in addition to the 4-6 pages of text. You may propose a topic for your final project at any time between now and March 10th, by submitting to the related Canvas Assignment your specific proposed topic and links to at least five references from the astronomical literature that you plan to use. I will approve projects on a first-come, first-serve basis; for any student who does not propose a topic of your own, I reserve the right to choose a topic for you after spring break.

  Academic Integrity
  

  Students are expected to maintain the highest level of academic integrity. You must follow the university policy on academic integrity.

  Use of external sources to obtain solutions to homework assignments or exams is cheating and is a violation of the University Academic Integrity policy. Cheating in the course may result in penalties ranging from a zero on an assignment to an F for the course to expulsion from the University. Posting of homework assignments, exams, recorded lectures, or other lecture materials to external sites without the permission of the instructor is a violation of copyright and constitutes a facilitation of dishonesty, which may result in the same penalties as explicit cheating.

  Not only does the use of such sites violate the University's policy on Academic Integrity, using such sites interferes with your achievement of the learning you are paying tuition for. Assignments, quizzes, and exams are given not simply to assign grades, but to promote the active learning that occurs through completing assignments on your own. Getting the right answer is much less important than learning how to get the right answer. This learning is critical to your success in subsequent courses and your careers.

  Almost all original work is the intellectual property of its authors. These works include syllabi, lecture slides, recorded lectures, homework problems, exams, and other materials, in either printed or electronic form. The authors hold copyrights in these works, which are protected by U.S. statutes. Copying this work or posting it online without the permission of the author violates the author's rights. More importantly, these works are the product of the author's efforts; respect for these efforts and for the author's intellectual property rights is an important value that members of the university community take seriously.

  Artificial Intelligence
  

  All use of Generative A/I in this course must be disclosed. You are encouraged to use spellcheckers and/or grammar checkers (e.g., Grammarly) on the Writing Assignments and Term Project papers, but you cannot use any software or websites (e.g., ChatGPT) that writes text for you. It is ok to use Generative AI to polish text that you have already written, but this must be disclosed as part of the paper or problem set where you used it.

  Other items
  

  • Late assignments
    Unless you request advance permission and I grant it to you, you will lose 10% credit per day for each late assignment, with no credit available once solutions are posted.
  • Collaboration policy
    On homework assignments, you should first try every exercise yourself before discussing it with others. If you get stuck (or finish and would like to compare answers), you may discuss exercises with other students in the course and/or me, but you should always write up your own solutions and indicate on your solutions whom you collaborated with. You may consult books and published papers, but not old solution sets from previous offerings of this course or similar courses elsewhere.
  • Students with disabilities
    If you have a disability, let me know early in the semester so that we can make the necessary arrangements for you to have a successful learning experience. Please consult this web page for more details.
  • Student wellness resources
    Like my other Rutgers colleagues, I do not want academic success to come at the expence of your health! The resources listed below are provided in case you are (or another student is) going through a rough patch.
    • 24/7 crisis resources (if you or someone you know is in crisis and having thoughts of death, dying, or suicide)
      • 911 Emergency: if you have an emergency in need of immediate attention, call 911
      • NJ Hopeline (suicide prevention): 855-654-6735
      • National Suicide & Crisis Lifeline: 988
      • Crisis Text Line: text HOME to 741741
      • University Behavioral Health Care Acute Psychiatric Services (24-hour emergency service for local residents): 855-515-5700
      • Rutgers University Police Department: 732-932-7211
      • for students living on campus: contact your Resident Assistant (RA) or RA on duty
      • Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA): For victims of crimes, including sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, and stalking. Free and confidential resources are available by phone 24/7. vpva.rutgers.edu, 848-932-1181.
    • Campus Support Resources (for non-crisis situations)
      • Counseling, Alcohol & Other Drug Assistance Program & Psychiatric Services (CAPS): Mental health services, health.rutgers.edu/CAPS, 848-932-7884. M–F, 8:30 am–4:30 pm.
      • A CAPS counselor is always available during regular business hours for students with immediate needs (walk in or by phone 848-932-7884).
      • CAPS After Hours: A telephone-based counseling service available to Rutgers students when CAPS is closed. Call the main CAPS number, 848-932-7884, and follow the prompts.
      • Let’s Talk: informal, one-session consultations, 848-932-7884.
      • The Graduate School of Applied & Professional Psychology offers clinical services to Rutgers students: https://gsapp.rutgers.edu/centers-clinical-services/CPS/about-us.
      • Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA): For victims of crimes, including sexual violence, dating/domestic violence, and stalking. Free and confidential resources are available by phone 24/7. vpva.rutgers.edu, 848-932-1181.
      • Offices of the Dean of Students: If you are in need of assistance or support regarding personal or academic-related challenges, contact 848-932-2300, visit deanofstudents.rutgers.edu, or email deanofstudents@echo.rutgers.edu.
      • Do Something: If you are not sure what to do about a friend, and they are not in immediate danger, share your concern at dosomething.rutgers.edu. The appropriate campus resource will contact them within 2 business days. Please note this should not be used in an emergency as the response is not immediate.

  Last updated January 22, 2025.