Arjun Dey

Tucson Nighttime Scientific Staff


Areas of Interest

Active Galaxies, Galaxy Evolution, Observational Cosmology

Recent Research Results

Dey's primary research interests are the evolution of galaxies and active galactic nuclei, and observational cosmology. He has recently demonstrated that the UV continuum emission from high-redshift radio galaxies is largely non-stellar in origin, and that these radio galaxies harbor hidden quasar nuclei. This result provides strong support for unification theories of AGNs (i.e., that radio galaxies are quasars, whose beamed radiation is directed in the plane of the sky rather than towards us). In addition, he and his collaborators are studying the stellar content and ages of high-redshift galaxies; they have recently discovered a 3.5 Gyr old galaxy at a redshift of z=1.55, which provides a strong constraint on the cosmological parameters.

Future Research Plans

During the next 3 years, Dey will continue to investigate the stellar content of distant galaxies in order to determine the earliest epoch of galaxy formation. Although the observed optical emission from radio galaxies is non-stellar, the infrared radiation is most likely dominated by starlight, and Dey will investigate the infrared properties of high redshift radio galaxies with the aim of utilizing these luminous galaxies as cosmological probes. Dey's future research will also be directed at understanding the formation and evolution of massive galaxies. There is growing evidence that young galaxies may be dust enshrouded, and he will investigate the properties of a newly discovered population of very red galaxies. Finally, he will also study the importance of dust in distant, powerful AGN.

Service

Dey helps new visiting observers acquaint themselves with the telescopes, and assists them in using the facility instruments effectively and efficiently.


Go to: [ NOAO Scientific Staff ] [ NOAO ] [ CTIO ] [ KPNO ] [ NSO ] [ USGP ]

NOAO is operated by the Association of U niversities for Research in Astronomy (AURA), Inc. under cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation
Posted: 06Dec1996