The evolution of galaxies is heavily dependent on the environment in which they reside. Galaxy clusters are the largest gravitationally bound structures, containing 1000s – 10,000s of galaxies. These environments are harsh and can transform blue, star-forming spiral galaxies into red and “dead” elliptical galaxies. I will discuss galaxy clusters and describe the main processes that determine the evolution of the galaxies inside them. 

About the speaker: Dr. Claire Cashmore

I am currently a post doctoral researcher at the University of Hull. My focus is the evolution of galaxies in clusters, which I investigate through running simulations on supercomputers to reveal the impact of the cluster environment on large timescales to allow us to understand how these galaxies are transformed. Observations only allow us to see a snapshot in time, by comparing these to computer simulations we hope to piece together the events that result in the galaxies we presently observe in clusters.