An analytical perspective on galaxy formation

Abstract

Galaxy formation theory is a mysterious art. It is driven by phenomenology and by numerical simulations of dark matter clustering under gravity. Once the complications of star formation are incorporated, the theory becomes so complex that the brute force approach of numerical simulations needs to be supplemented by physical insights into the nature of such processes as feedback. I present here a few analytical perspectives that may shed some light on the nature and implications of global star formation for galaxy formation.