Galaxy evolution in clusters and groups up to z∼3

One of the major challenges in the current extragalactic astrophysics is understanding the ways galaxy formation and evolution are influenced by the environment. Galaxy clusters are densely populated structures containing the most massive galaxies in existence. However the numerical majority of galaxies in the Universe inhabit less densely populated galaxy groups and the field. Understanding the details of how galaxy properties change inside this structures, most notably, how quenching and size growth occur, can help understand different underlying processes in these different environments. The thesis consists of two somewhat separate blocks. The first block is dedicated to studying the evolution and the role of environmental effects on dwarf galaxies in the Local Universe. I perform a case-study of KDG64, an object in M81 group with a transitional classification between ultra-diffuse galaxy, dwarf spheroidal and dwarf elliptical. This object is found to be a good representative of the vast population of quenched low-mass galaxies that are numerically dominant both in clusters and groups. Here, KDG64 star formation history, kinematics, dark matter halo properties are estimated and conclusions about its quenching history are made. The fate of this small galaxy may be representative of what happens to a majority of low-mass stellar systems in the universe. Also I study a sample of recently quenched extended dwarf galaxies in the Coma cluster, and study the effect of ram pressure stripping on dwarf galaxies. I conclude that a large fraction of the dwarf galaxy population in clusters might have been formed through this channel. The second block is dedicated to studying size evolution of galaxies in the clusters at 1.5<z<3. The goal is to measure how galaxy size in the cluster environment depends on galaxy mass, its morphology and star-formation rate. The conclusion is that at these redshifts we see a lot of star-forming elliptical galaxies some of which pass through compaction phase. Also the non-star forming early-type galaxies are found to be significantly larger compared to the field. The size evolution of these galaxies between z=1 and z=2 is slower in clusters than in the field. This block also demonstrates an improved function for the mass-size relation in the clusters that takes into account lower mass objects.(author)