Modeling feedback from stars and black holes in galaxy mergers

Modeling feedback from stars and black holes in galaxy mergers

22 October 2018 | Volker Springel, Tiziana Di Matteo, and Lars Hernquist
The paper presents a method for incorporating feedback from star formation and black hole accretion into simulations of galaxy mergers. Due to the inability of current simulations to resolve the detailed physics of these processes on galactic scales, the authors use a sub-resolution approach to model their effects. They develop a multiphase description of star-forming gas, where feedback from star formation alters the effective equation of state of the gas, allowing for the construction of stable galaxy models with higher gas fractions. They also include a treatment of gas accretion onto supermassive black holes, modeling them as collisionless 'sink' particles. This approach enables the simulation of the coupled processes of gas dynamics, star formation, and black hole accretion during galaxy formation. The authors describe the construction of galaxy models, including dark matter halos, rotationally supported disks of gas and stars, and central bulges. They use a Hernquist profile for dark matter halos and exponential surface density profiles for disks and bulges. The models are constructed with a focus on realistic density profiles and the effects of gas pressure and gravitational interactions. The paper discusses the velocity structure of the galaxy components, using a triaxial Gaussian approximation for the velocity distribution. The effective equation of state for the interstellar medium is derived from the multiphase model, incorporating the effects of star formation and feedback. The authors also describe the treatment of black hole accretion and AGN feedback, showing how the energy from accretion can regulate black hole growth and influence the surrounding gas. The study highlights the importance of feedback processes in galaxy mergers, particularly the interplay between starbursts and AGN activity. The authors demonstrate that once a supermassive black hole reaches a critical size, feedback can expel gas from the central region in a quasar-driven wind. The simulation methodology is able to address the coupled processes of gas dynamics, star formation, and black hole accretion during galaxy formation. The paper concludes that a better understanding of galaxy interactions and mergers requires simultaneous accounting of the physics of interstellar gas, star formation, black hole growth, and various forms of feedback associated with both massive stars and AGN.The paper presents a method for incorporating feedback from star formation and black hole accretion into simulations of galaxy mergers. Due to the inability of current simulations to resolve the detailed physics of these processes on galactic scales, the authors use a sub-resolution approach to model their effects. They develop a multiphase description of star-forming gas, where feedback from star formation alters the effective equation of state of the gas, allowing for the construction of stable galaxy models with higher gas fractions. They also include a treatment of gas accretion onto supermassive black holes, modeling them as collisionless 'sink' particles. This approach enables the simulation of the coupled processes of gas dynamics, star formation, and black hole accretion during galaxy formation. The authors describe the construction of galaxy models, including dark matter halos, rotationally supported disks of gas and stars, and central bulges. They use a Hernquist profile for dark matter halos and exponential surface density profiles for disks and bulges. The models are constructed with a focus on realistic density profiles and the effects of gas pressure and gravitational interactions. The paper discusses the velocity structure of the galaxy components, using a triaxial Gaussian approximation for the velocity distribution. The effective equation of state for the interstellar medium is derived from the multiphase model, incorporating the effects of star formation and feedback. The authors also describe the treatment of black hole accretion and AGN feedback, showing how the energy from accretion can regulate black hole growth and influence the surrounding gas. The study highlights the importance of feedback processes in galaxy mergers, particularly the interplay between starbursts and AGN activity. The authors demonstrate that once a supermassive black hole reaches a critical size, feedback can expel gas from the central region in a quasar-driven wind. The simulation methodology is able to address the coupled processes of gas dynamics, star formation, and black hole accretion during galaxy formation. The paper concludes that a better understanding of galaxy interactions and mergers requires simultaneous accounting of the physics of interstellar gas, star formation, black hole growth, and various forms of feedback associated with both massive stars and AGN.
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