We study the minimal ‘bathtub’ toy model as a tool for capturing key processes of galaxy evolution and identifying robust successes and challenges in reproducing high-z observations. The source and ...sink terms of the continuity equations for gas and stars are expressed in simple terms from first principles. The assumed dependence of star formation rate (SFR) on gas mass self-regulates the system into a unique asymptotic behaviour, which is approximated by an analytic quasi-steady-state (QSS) solution. We address the validity of the QSS at different epochs independent of earlier conditions. At high z, where the accretion is gaseous, the specific SFR (sSFR) is predicted to be sSFR ≃ (1 + z)/35/2 Gyr−1, slightly above the cosmological specific accretion rate, as observed at z = 3–8. The gas fraction is expected to decline slowly, and the observations constrain the SFR efficiency per dynamical time to ϵ ≃ 0.02. The stellar-to-virial mass ratio f
sv is predicted to be constant in time, and the observed value requires an outflow mass-loading factor η ≃ 1–3, depending on the penetration efficiency of gas into the galaxy. However, at z ∼ 2, where stars are also accreted through mergers, there is a conflict between model and observations. The model that maximizes the sSFR, with the outflows fully recycled, underestimates the sSFR by a factor of ∼3 and overestimates f
sv. With strong outflows, the model can match the observed f
sv but then it underestimates the sSFR by an order of magnitude. We discuss potential remedies including a bias due to the exclusion of quenched galaxies.
Compaction-driven black hole growth Lapiner, Sharon; Dekel, Avishai; Dubois, Yohan
Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society,
07/2021, Letnik:
505, Številka:
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ABSTRACT
We study the interplay between galaxy evolution and central black hole (BH) growth using the NewHorizon cosmological simulation. BH growth is slow when the dark-matter halo is below a golden ...mass of $M_{\rm v}\sim 10^{12}\, \rm M_\odot$, and rapid above it. The early suppression is primarily due to gas removal by supernova (SN) feedback in the shallow potential well, predicting that BHs of ${\sim}10^5\, \rm M_\odot$ tend to lie below the linear relation with bulge mass. Rapid BH growth is allowed when the halo is massive enough to lock in the SN ejecta by its deep potential well and its heated circumgalactic medium (CGM). The onset of BH growth between these two zones is triggered by a wet-compaction event, caused, e.g. by mergers or counter-rotating streams. It brings gas that lost angular momentum into the inner-$1\, {\rm kpc}$ ‘blue nugget’ and causes major transitions in the galaxy structural, kinematic, and compositional properties, including the onset of star-formation quenching. The compaction events are confined to the golden mass by the same mechanisms of SN feedback and hot CGM. The onset of BH growth is associated with its sinkage to the centre due to the compaction-driven deepening of the potential well and the associated dynamical friction. The galaxy golden mass is thus imprinted as a threshold for rapid BH growth, allowing the AGN feedback to keep the CGM hot and maintain long-term quenching. AGN feedback is not causing the onset of quenching; they are both caused by a compaction event when the mass is between the SN and hot-CGM zones.
Abstract
We find, using cosmological simulations of galaxy clusters, that the hot X-ray emitting intracluster medium (ICM) enclosed within the outer accretion shock extends out to Rshock ∼ (2–3)Rvir, ...where Rvir is the standard virial radius of the halo. Using a simple analytic model for satellite galaxies in the cluster, we evaluate the effect of ram-pressure stripping on the gas in the inner discs and in the haloes at different distances from the cluster centre. We find that significant removal of star-forming disc gas occurs only at r ≲ 0.5Rvir, while gas removal from the satellite halo is more effective and can occur when the satellite is found between Rvir and Rshock. Removal of halo gas sets the stage for quenching of the star formation by starvation over 2–3 Gyr, prior to the satellite entry to the inner cluster halo. This scenario explains the presence of quenched galaxies, preferentially discs, at the outskirts of galaxy clusters, and the delayed quenching of satellites compared to central galaxies.
We use cosmological simulations to study a characteristic evolution pattern of high-redshift galaxies. Early, stream-fed, highly perturbed, gas-rich discs undergo phases of dissipative contraction ...into compact, star-forming systems (‘blue’ nuggets) at z ∼ 4–2. The peak of gas compaction marks the onset of central gas depletion and inside-out quenching into compact ellipticals (red nuggets) by z ∼ 2. These are sometimes surrounded by gas rings or grow extended dry stellar envelopes. The compaction occurs at a roughly constant specific star formation rate (SFR), and the quenching occurs at a constant stellar surface density within the inner kpc (Σ1). Massive galaxies quench earlier, faster, and at a higher Σ1 than lower mass galaxies, which compactify and attempt to quench more than once. This evolution pattern is consistent with the way galaxies populate the SFR-size–mass space, and with gradients and scatter across the main sequence. The compaction is triggered by an intense inflow episode, involving (mostly minor) mergers, counter-rotating streams or recycled gas, and is commonly associated with violent disc instability. The contraction is dissipative, with the inflow rate >SFR, and the maximum Σ1 anticorrelated with the initial spin parameter. The central quenching is triggered by the high SFR and stellar/supernova feedback (maybe also active galactic nucleus feedback) due to the high central gas density, while the central inflow weakens as the disc vanishes. Suppression of fresh gas supply by a hot halo allows the long-term maintenance of quenching once above a threshold halo mass, inducing the quenching downsizing.
ABSTRACT
We study the effects of Kelvin–Helmholtz Instability (KHI) on the cold streams that feed massive haloes at high redshift, generalizing our earlier results to include the effects of radiative ...cooling and heating from a UV background, using analytic models and high resolution idealized simulations. We currently do not consider self-shielding, thermal conduction, or gravity. A key parameter in determining the fate of the streams is the ratio of the cooling time in the turbulent mixing layer which forms between the stream and the background following the onset of the instability, $t_{\rm cool,\, mix}$, to the time in which the mixing layer expands to the width of the stream in the non-radiative case, tshear. This can be converted into a critical stream radius, Rs, crit, such that $R_{\rm s}/R_{\rm s,crit}=t_{\rm shear}/t_{\rm cool,\, mix}$. If Rs < Rs, crit, the non-linear evolution proceeds similarly to the non-radiative case studied by Mandelker et al. If Rs > Rs,crit, which we find to almost always be the case for astrophysical cold streams, the stream is not disrupted by KHI. Rather, background mass cools and condenses on to the stream, and can increase the mass of cold gas by a factor of ∼3 within 10 stream sound crossing times. The mass entrainment induces thermal energy losses from the background and kinetic energy losses from the stream, which we model analytically. Roughly half of the dissipated energy is radiated away from gas with $T \lt 5\times 10^4\, {\rm K}$, suggesting much of it will be emitted in Ly α.
We consider a simple gravitational heating mechanism for the long-term quenching of cooling flows and star formation in massive dark matter haloes hosting elliptical galaxies and clusters. We showed ...earlier that the virial shock heating in haloes ≥1012M⊙ triggers natural quenching in 1012–1013M⊙ haloes. Our present analytic estimates and simple simulations argue that the long-term quenching in haloes ≥Mmin∼ 7 × 1012M⊙ could be due to the gravitational energy of cosmological accretion delivered to the inner halo hot gas by cold flows via ram-pressure drag and local shocks. Mmin is obtained by comparing the gravitational power of infall into the potential well with the overall radiative cooling rate. The heating wins if the gas inner density cusp is not steeper than r−0.5 and if the masses in the cold and hot phases are comparable. The effect is stronger at higher redshifts, making the maintenance easier also at later times. Particular energy carriers into the halo core are cold gas clumps of ∼105–108M⊙. Clumps ≥105M⊙ penetrate to the inner halo with sufficient kinetic energy before they disintegrate, but they have to be ≤108M⊙ for the drag to do enough work in a Hubble time. Pressure-confined ∼104K clumps are stable against their own gravity and remain gaseous once below the Bonnor–Ebert mass ∼108M⊙. Such clumps are also immune to tidal disruption. Clumps in the desired mass range could emerge by thermal instability in the outer halo or in the filaments that feed it if the conductivity is not too high. Alternatively, such clumps may be embedded in dark matter subhaloes if the ionizing flux is ineffective, but they separate from their subhaloes by ram pressure before entering the inner halo. Heating by dynamical friction becomes dominant for massive satellites, which can contribute up to one-third of the total gravitational heating. We conclude that gravitational heating by cosmological accretion is a viable alternative to active galactic nucleus feedback as a long-term quenching mechanism.
Abstract
We address the origin of ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs), which have stellar masses typical of dwarf galaxies but effective radii of Milky Way-sized objects. Their formation mechanism, and ...whether they are failed L
⋆ galaxies or diffuse dwarfs, are challenging issues. Using zoom-in cosmological simulations from the Numerical Investigation of a Hundred Astrophysical Objects (NIHAO) project, we show that UDG analogues form naturally in dwarf-sized haloes due to episodes of gas outflows associated with star formation. The simulated UDGs live in isolated haloes of masses 1010–11 M⊙, have stellar masses of 107–8.5 M⊙, effective radii larger than 1 kpc and dark matter cores. They show a broad range of colours, an average Sérsic index of 0.83, a typical distribution of halo spin and concentration, and a non-negligible H i gas mass of 107 − 9 M⊙, which correlates with the extent of the galaxy. Gas availability is crucial to the internal processes which form UDGs: feedback-driven gas outflows, and subsequent dark matter and stellar expansion, are the key to reproduce faint, yet unusually extended, galaxies. This scenario implies that UDGs represent a dwarf population of low surface brightness galaxies and should exist in the field. The largest isolated UDGs should contain more H i gas than less extended dwarfs of similar M
⋆.
ABSTRACT
We study ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDGs) in zoom in cosmological simulations, seeking the origin of UDGs in the field versus galaxy groups. We find that while field UDGs arise from dwarfs in a ...characteristic mass range by multiple episodes of supernova feedback (Di Cintio et al.), group UDGs may also form by tidal puffing up and they become quiescent by ram-pressure stripping. The field and group UDGs share similar properties, independent of distance from the group centre. Their dark-matter haloes have ordinary spin parameters and centrally dominant dark-matter cores. Their stellar components tend to have a prolate shape with a Sérsic index n ∼ 1 but no significant rotation. Ram pressure removes the gas from the group UDGs when they are at pericentre, quenching star formation in them and making them redder. This generates a colour/star-formation-rate gradient with distance from the centre of the dense environment, as observed in clusters. We find that ∼20 per cent of the field UDGs that fall into a massive halo survive as satellite UDGs. In addition, normal field dwarfs on highly eccentric orbits can become UDGs near pericentre due to tidal puffing up, contributing about half of the group-UDG population. We interpret our findings using simple toy models, showing that gas stripping is mostly due to ram pressure rather than tides. We estimate that the energy deposited by tides in the bound component of a satellite over one orbit can cause significant puffing up provided that the orbit is sufficiently eccentric. We caution that while the simulations produce UDGs that match the observations, they under-produce the more compact dwarfs in the same mass range, possibly because of the high threshold for star formation or the strong feedback.
Any successful model of galaxy formation needs to explain the low rate of star formation in the small progenitors of today's galaxies. This inefficiency is necessary for reproducing the low ...stellar-to-virial mass fractions, suggested by current abundance matching models. A possible driver of this low efficiency is the radiation pressure exerted by ionizing photons from massive stars. The effect of radiation pressure in cosmological, zoom-in galaxy formation simulations is modelled as a non-thermal pressure that acts only in dense and optically thick star-forming regions. We also include photoionization and photoheating by massive stars. The full photoionization of hydrogen reduces the radiative cooling in the 104-4.5 K regime. The main effect of radiation pressure is to regulate and limit the high values of gas density and the amount of gas available for star formation. This maintains a low star formation rate of ∼1 M⊙ yr−1 in haloes with masses about 1011 M⊙ at z ≃ 3. Infrared trapping and photoionization/photoheating processes are secondary effects in this mass range. The galaxies residing in these low-mass haloes contain only ∼0.6 per cent of the total virial mass in stars, roughly consistent with abundance matching. Radiative feedback maintains an extended galaxy with a rising circular velocity profile.
ABSTRACT
We present a semi-analytical model of satellite galaxies, SatGen, which can generate large statistical samples of satellite populations for a host halo of desired mass, redshift, and ...assembly history. The model combines dark matter (DM) halo merger trees, empirical relations for the galaxy–halo connection, and analytical prescriptions for tidal effects, dynamical friction, and ram-pressure stripping. SatGen emulates cosmological zoom-in hydrosimulations in certain aspects. Satellites can reside in cored or cuspy DM subhaloes, depending on the halo response to baryonic physics that can be formulated from hydrosimulations and physical modelling. The subhalo profile and the stellar mass and size of a satellite evolve depending on its tidal mass-loss and initial structure. The host galaxy can include a baryonic disc and a stellar bulge, each described by a density profile that allows analytic satellite orbit integration. SatGen complements simulations by propagating the effect of halo response found in simulated field galaxies to satellites (not properly resolved in simulations) and outperforms simulations by sampling the halo-to-halo variance of satellite statistics and overcoming artificial disruption due to insufficient resolution. As a first application, we use the model to study satellites of Milky Way (MW)- and M31-sized hosts, making it emulate simulations of bursty star formation and of smooth star formation, respectively, and to experiment with a disc potential in the host halo. We find that our model reproduces the observed satellite statistics reasonably well. Different physical recipes make a difference in satellite abundance and spatial distribution at the 25 per cent level, not large enough to be distinguished by current observations given the halo-to-halo variance. The MW/M31 disc depletes satellites by ${\sim } 20{{\ \rm per\ cent}}$ and has a subtle effect of diversifying the internal structure of satellites, which is important for alleviating certain small-scale problems. We discuss the conditions for a massive satellite to survive in MW/M31.
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