For the research paper, you are required to read the literature on a certain topic and write your conclusions in a 10-15 page single spacing paper. I suggest below some possible topics and a few good references as a guide, but I highly encourage you to choose any topic that interests you and is close to the class material. If you are unsure about whether a topic is suitable, please ask me. The topic of your research paper is due by Apr 4, 2006, and the paper itself is due on the last day of class. However, I will take, and very much encourage, a paper at anytime. Please note that you must cite any references you use and write the paper using your own phrases, structures, and conclusions. Simply block copying sections of a given paper or a description on Google is going to earn you zero credit. Plagiarism will result in zero credit.

• Simulations of how disk galaxies form and evolve at early times
  
  - Open Issues and New Results in our Understanding of Disk Galaxies (Science, Jan 2005): Article
  
  - The Hierarchical Origin of Galaxy Morphologies : Article
  
  - Disk Galaxy Formation in a Lambda CDM Universe: Article
  
  - A Merger-Driven Scenario for Cosmological Disk Galaxy Formation Article
  
  

• Galaxy Mergers
  
  - Simulations of Major Mergers: Article
  
  - Cosmological Simulations of Major Mergers where DISK survives!: Article
  
  - Simulations of Minor Mergers : Article
  
  - Empirical Constraints: Early and Rapid Merging as a Formation Mechanism for Massive Galaxies Article
  
  - Observations of Galaxy Assembly Article
  
  - HST Observations of the Nuclear Regions of the Toomre Sequence of Merging Galaxies: Article
  
  

• Multiwavelength Anatomy of a Nearby Major Merger"The Antennae":
  
  - Stellar Populations in NGC 4038/39 (The Antennae): Article
  
  - Cold Molecular Gas in the "Antennae" Galaxies: The Fuel to Form New Stars: Article
  
  - The Cold Atomic Gas in the "Antennae" Galaxies: Article
  
  - Chandra Observations of the Hot Gas in the "Antennae" Galaxies: Article
  
  - Mid-infrared view: The dark side of star formation in the Antennae galaxies: Article
  
  

• Bars and Their Impact on Galaxy Evolution:
  
  - Bar-Driven Gas Inflow and Galactic Rings: Article
  
  - Bars and the connection to dark and visible matter: Article
  
  - Bar Evolution Over the Last Eight Billion Years: Article
  
  - The Destruction of Bars by Central Mass Concentrations: Article
  
  - The life-time of galactic bars: central mass concentrations and gravity torques: Article
  
  - Dynamical and Secular Evolution of Barred Galaxies: Article
  
  

• Star formation
  
  - Star Formation in Galaxies Along the Hubble Sequence: Article
  
  - The cosmic star formation rate history of the Universe: Article
  
  - The Star Formation Rate of the Universe at z~6 from the Hubble Ultra Deep Field: Article
  
  - Towards an understanding of the rapid decline of the cosmic star formation rate: Article
  
  

• Black Holes
  
  - Awakening the Black Hole : Internal and External Triggers: Article
  
  - A Relationship Between Nuclear Black Hole Mass and Galaxy Velocity Dispersion: Article
  
  - A Fundamental Relation Between Supermassive Black Holes and Dark Matter Halos: Article
  
  - Simulation of the growth of black holes in the early Universe during galaxy collisions: Article
  
  - Simulations of galaxy mergers with feedback from supermassive black holes: Article
  
  

• Observing Galaxies at Early Cosmic Epochs (2 o 12 Gyr back in time)
  
  - GEMS: Galaxy Evolution from Morphologies and SEDs Article
  
  - GOODS: The Great Observatories Origins Deep Survey Article
  
  - Evolution in galaxy structure and morphology with redshift Article
  
  - Galaxy Assembly Article
  
  - Galaxy Morphologies in the Hubble Ultra Deep Field: Dominance of Linear Structures at the Detection Limit Article
  
  - On the Origin of Exponential Disks at High Redshift Article
  
  

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Internet Articles

• NASA ADS Abstract Services

• Astrophysics Preprint server

• Space.Com

• CNN Space

• NY Times Science

• LA Times Science

• BBC Science

• Sky and Telescope