Galaxies with MaNGA

It is now quite well established that the distinct components of galaxies -- primarily their bulges and disks -- have different stories to tell about the evolution of these systems. To study these components separately in order to learn how they formed, we need detailed spectral mapping across the entire face of each galaxy, which can now be obtained using integral field unit (IFU) spectrographs. The World-leading project to do this is the Mapping Nearby Galaxies at APO (MaNGA) programme, which is one of the components of the on-going Sloan Digital Sky Survey. MaNGA will produce a huge IFU spectral data set for 10,000 galaxies, allowing their kinematics and chemical properties to be studied in unprecedented detail. As members of this elite programme, we have complete access to all the data, and at this stage in the project we can play a key role in shaping the over-all science programme. PhD students involved in this project will have the opportunity to work with data of a quantity and quality that has never been obtained before, and will interact with the leading scientists in this field from all over the World, to establish their own longer-term research careers.