Joe Silk (IAP, JHU and Oxford)
The Challenge of Galaxy Formation
The origin of the galaxies represents an important focus of currentvcosmological research, both observational and theoretical. Itsvresolution involves a comprehensive understanding of star formation,vgalaxy dynamics, supermassive black holes, and the cosmology of thevvery early universe. It is a field that is largely driven by avphenomenology that depends on our accumulating data taken with the largest available telescopes. I will review our current understanding of galaxy formation and describe some of the challenges that lie ahead. Specific issues that I will address include the star formation rate in galaxies and the galaxy luminosity function, including the role of feedback.