Relatore
Descrizione
The faint end of the galaxy luminosity function represents one of the most powerful yet observationally challenging windows onto galaxy formation and evolution. Ultra-faint dwarf (UFD) galaxies — the least luminous, most dark matter-dominated, and chemically most primitive stellar systems known — are fossil relics of the early universe, offering unique constraints on cosmological models, feedback mechanisms, and the nature of dark matter. In the past two decades, wide-field deep photometric surveys with new-generation telescopes have revolutionized the census of Milky Way satellites, pushing the exploration well below the classical dwarf galaxy regime. In this talk, I will review our current understanding of UFD galaxies, discussing the techniques employed for their detection and characterization. I will also highlight how the study of their stellar populations can shed light on the physical processes governing the formation and evolution of these extreme systems. Finally, I will outline the exciting prospects offered by upcoming facilities and surveys, which promise to dramatically advance our knowledge of the low-luminosity end of the galaxy population in the near future.
| Sessione | La Galassia e il Gruppo Locale |
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