Structure, morphology, and dynamics of nearby galaxies:

Since my thesis I have been interested in the overall structure, morphology and dynamics of nearby galaxies, especially disk galaxies. I am involved in the Carnegie-Irvine Nearby Galaxies Survey (CINGS), which is a comprehensive optical and infrared imaging survey of the 600 brightest galaxies in the southern-hemisphere sky, being carried out at the 2.5-meter Du Pont telescope at Las Campanas Observatory. This will be followed by a spectroscopic study of all 600 galaxies, allowing detailed mass profiling. I am also involved in the Akransas Galaxy Evolution Survey (AGES), part of which is to conduct a census of supermassive black holes in the Universe.

Selected Publications:
1. "A revised Mass Model for the Andromeda Galaxy." Seigar, Barth, & bullock. (astro-ph/0612228)
2. "Discovery of a relationship between spiral arm morphology and supermassive black hole mass in disk galaxies." Seigar, Kennefick, Kennefick, & Lacy. (2008, ApJL)
3. "Constraining dark matter halo profiles and galaxy formation models using spiral arm morphology. I. Method outline." Seigar, Bullock, Barth, & Ho. (2006, ApJ)
4. "Dust-penetrated arm classes: insights from rising and falling rotation curves." Seigar, Block, Puerari, Chorney, \& James. (2005, MNRAS)

Clusters, cD galaxies and Intracluster Light:

cD galaxies have been known to have outer stellar envelopes for many decades. This is now believed to be a manifestation of intracluster light (ICL) that Zwicky first detected in the 1950s. This intracluster light is believed to be material that is stripped tidally from cluster member galaxies as they interact and/or merge with each other. Another indication of this activity in clusters is the multiple nuclei often seen in the brightest cluster galaxies (BCGs). The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope will help us to further determine the nature of ICL.

Selected Publications:
1. "Intracluster light and the extended stellar envelopes of cD galaxies: An analytical description." Seigar, Graham, & Jerjen. (2007, MNRAS)
2. "A triple nucleus in the brightest cluster galaxy in Abell 193." Seigar, Lynam, & Chorney. (2003, MNRAS)

Star Formation in Galaxies:

I am interested in the mechanisms responsible for the formation of stars in quiescent spiral galaxies. In the widely accepted theory of spiral density waves, triggering of star formation by shocks in spiral arms would lead to the formation of HII regions downstream of density waves. This was one of the goals of the H-alpha Galaxy Survey, in which I am a co-investigator.

Selected Publications:
1. "The connection between shear and star formation in spiral galaxies." Seigar. (2005, MNRAS)
2. "The H-alpha galaxy survey. I. The galaxy sample, H¦Á narrow-band observations and star formation parameters for 334 galaxies." James et al. (Seigar 13th author). (2004, A & A)
3. "A test of arm-induced star formation in spiral galaxies from near-infrared and H¦Á imaging." Seigar & James. (2002, MNRAS)

Submillimeter Galaxies:

I am a co-investigator in the SCUBA HAlf Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES). SHADES is a major extragalactic survey with SCUBA on the JCMT covering 0.5 sq. degrees to a 4 sigma detection limit of 8 mJy at 850 micron. This survey is designed to answer these three fundamental questions: What is the cosmic history of massive dust-enshrouded star-formation activity? Are SCUBA sources the progenitors of present-day massive ellipticals? What fraction of SCUBA sources harbour a dust-obscured AGN?

Selected Publications:
1. "The SCUBA HAlf Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) - IV: Radio-mm-FIR photometric redshifts." Aretxaga et al. (Seigar 28th author). (astro-ph/0702503)
2. "The SCUBA HAlf Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) - III. Identification of radio and mid-infrared counterparts to submillimetre galaxies." Ivison et al. (Seigar 31st author). (astro-ph/0702544)
3. "The SCUBA Half-Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) - II. Submillimetre maps, catalogue and number counts." Coppin et al. (Seigar 48th author). (2006, MNRAS)
4. "The SCUBA Half-Degree Extragalactic Survey (SHADES) - I. Survey motivation, design and data processing." Mortier et al. (Seigar 66th author). (2005, MNRAS)