Secular Evolution of Galaxies

The formation and evolution of galaxies is one of the most important topics in astrophysics. Secular evolution refers to the relatively slow dynamical evolution due to internal processes induced by a galaxy''s spiral arms, bars, galactic winds, black holes and dark matter haloes. It plays an important role in the evolution of spiral galaxies with major consequences for galactic bulges, the transfer of angular momentum, and the distribution of a galaxy''s constituent stars, gas and dust. This internal evolution is key to understanding cosmological models of galaxy formation and evolution. Based on the twenty-third Winter School of the Canary Islands Institute of Astrophysics, this volume presents reviews from nine experts on the observational and theoretical research into secular processes, and what these processes can tell us about the structure and formation of galaxies. The volume provides a grounding for graduate students and researchers working on galactic dynamics and galaxy evolution.