Precise astrometry of Gaia DR2/EDR3 has allowed the detection of many structures in the MW from clusters and star forming regions to moving groups and stellar streams, some of them known and many previously unnoticed. The data has also permitted to rule out some of the groups previously claimed. In parallel, the kinematic studies with Gaia DR3 carried out so far in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) have revealed rich complexities and substructures in its disk.

Additional information in both data sets, namely the MW and the LMC, especially ages and chemical composition, will allow to understand the nature of the groups and substructures and put them in the context of the MW formation and evolution. The ESR will extend existing all-sky structure-finding and clustering methodologies to the third Gaia Data Release by including its new data products (information from low and high-resolution spectra like extinction and chemical composition) and complementary measurements based on ground surveys (WEAVE, OCCASO, APOGEE, LAMOST, MIRADAS, Pan-STARRS, JPLUS/JPAS, LSST, Euclid, among others). The increase of the dimensionality of the approach and the globally improved precision of Gaia DR3 will allow to identify tiny/weak structures unnoticed so far because of the domination of the field population. This will be applied to study the completeness of the current open clusters’ catalogues and the interaction between nearby galaxies, the process of clusters disruption by the identification of their tidal tails and extended coronas, the identification of hidden subpopulations of specific types of stars like white dwarfs (to identify the very cold ones constraining the age of the populations they belong to) or RR-Lyrae (tracing substructures in distant halo streams and the Magellanic Clouds). The UB group is deeply involved in the development of such algorithms applied to Gaia DR2/EDR3/DR3 and in some ground based spectroscopic surveys like OCCASO, WEAVE and MIRADAS. The UB group also has well established collaborations with the JPLUS/JPAS and APOGEE teams and the future 4MOST project.

The PhD candidate will develop multi-dimensional methods to identify groups of stars in areas where the stellar field population dominates. Application of these methods to analyse the full sky with Gaia EDR3, DR3 and complementary data. The advantages and limitations of the methods and data will be identified, and will constitute inputs for the WP5 roadmap. Analysis of the detected structures, both in the MW and Magellanic Clouds in the context of the MW formation and evolution. Methods and results will be disseminated through peer reviewed papers.

The candidate is expected to spend 2 secondment stays in universities in France and Sweden.

Gross salary per year

32000-36000 depending on family circumstances

How to apply

Required documents

Application letter, Curriculum vitae, etc.

Send your application to:

email

lbalaguer@fqa.ub.edu

Name

Lola Balaguer

email subject

MWGaiaDN UB1 application