Evolution of galaxy stellar masses and star formation rates in the EAGLE simulations

Furlong, M.; Bower, R. G.; Theuns, T.; Schaye, J.; Crain, R. A.; Schaller, M.; Dalla Vecchia, C.; Frenk, C. S.; McCarthy, I. G.; Helly, J.; Jenkins, A.; Rosas-Guevara, Y. M.
Bibliographical reference

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 450, Issue 4, p.4486-4504

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7
2015
Number of authors
12
IAC number of authors
1
Citations
367
Refereed citations
354
Description
We investigate the evolution of galaxy masses and star formation rates in the Evolution and Assembly of Galaxies and their Environment (EAGLE) simulations. These comprise a suite of hydrodynamical simulations in a Λ cold dark matter cosmogony with subgrid models for radiative cooling, star formation, stellar mass-loss and feedback from stars and accreting black holes. The subgrid feedback was calibrated to reproduce the observed present-day galaxy stellar mass function and galaxy sizes. Here, we demonstrate that the simulations reproduce the observed growth of the stellar mass density to within 20 per cent. The simulations also track the observed evolution of the galaxy stellar mass function out to redshift z = 7, with differences comparable to the plausible uncertainties in the interpretation of the data. Just as with observed galaxies, the specific star formation rates of simulated galaxies are bimodal, with distinct star forming and passive sequences. The specific star formation rates of star-forming galaxies are typically 0.2 to 0.5 dex lower than observed, but the evolution of the rates track the observations closely. The unprecedented level of agreement between simulation and data across cosmic time makes EAGLE a powerful resource to understand the physical processes that govern galaxy formation.
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Numerical Astrophysics: Galaxy Formation and Evolution
How galaxies formed and evolved through cosmic time is one of the key questions of modern astronomy and astrophysics. Cosmological time- and length-scales are so large that the evolution of individual galaxies cannot be directly observed. Only through numerical simulations can one follow the emergence of cosmic structures within the current
Claudio
Dalla Vecchia