What Regulates Galaxy Evolution? Open Questions in Our Understanding of Galaxy Formation and Evolution

TL;DR

This paper reviews key open questions in galaxy formation and evolution discussed during a 2013 workshop, highlighting current challenges and future research directions in understanding galaxy regulation mechanisms.

Contribution

It synthesizes expert discussions on unresolved issues in galaxy evolution, proposing future research paths based on recent observational constraints.

Findings

Identification of four core open questions in galaxy evolution

Discussion of recent observational constraints on galaxy formation

Proposals for future research directions in the field

Abstract

In April 2013, a workshop entitled "What Regulates Galaxy Evolution" was held at the Lorentz Center. The aim of the workshop was to bring together the observational and theoretical community working on galaxy evolution, and to discuss in depth of the current problems in the subject, as well as to review the most recent observational constraints. A total of 42 astrophysicists attended the workshop. A significant fraction of the time was devoted to identifying the most interesting "open questions" in the field, and to discuss how progress can be made. This review discusses the four questions (one for each day of the workshop) that, in our opinion, were the focus of the most intense debate. We present each question in its context, and close with a discussion of what future directions should be pursued in order to make progress on these problems.