Time-slicing spiral galaxies with SDSS-IV MaNGA
  Spectra of galaxies contain a wealth of information about the stellar
populations from which they are made. With integral-field unit (IFU) surveys,
such data can be used to map out stellar population properties across the face
of a galaxy, allowing one to go beyond simple radial profiles and study details
of non-axisymmetric structure. To-date, however, such studies have been limited
by the quality of available data and the power of spectral analysis tools. We
now take the next step and study the barred spiral galaxy MCG+07-28-064 from
observations obtained as part of the SDSS-IV MaNGA project. We find that we can
decompose this galaxy into "time slices," which reveal the varying
contributions that stars of differing ages make to its bar and spiral
structure, offering new insight into the evolution of these features. We find
evidence for the ongoing growth of the bar, including the most recent star
formation on its leading edge, and for the underlying density wave responsible
for spiral structure. This pilot study indicates that there is a wealth of
untapped information on the spatial distribution of SFHs available in the
current generation of IFU galaxy surveys.
