Bibcode
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
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.
Related projects
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