Myriam Rodrigues
Observatoire de Paris
In the Λ-CDM paradigm, the Universe is structured at large scales by the hierarchical assembly of dark matter haloes. To be a coherent framework, this cosmological model has to predict the evolution of the Universe from the initial conditions up to the formation of today’s galaxies. This requires incorporating the baryons, and thus the physics of galaxies, into cosmological simulations. The nature of the main physical mechanisms shaping galaxies is far from reaching a consensus. In this talk I will review the possible path of galaxy formation, focusing on the case of spiral galaxies formation. When and how these discs were created is still unknown: did they grow by accreting gas from outside, or via the coalescence of smaller entities leading to the creation of more massive galaxies? I will discuss the set of observables that could refute either one of these two scenarios and present new constrains provided by the simulteanous analysis of spatially resolved spectroscopy and deep imagery.