11:00 am–12:00 pm ERC 401
Title: Non-thermal Physics as a Regulator of Galaxy Formation
Abstract: Recent JWST observations increasingly constrain not only galaxy populations, but also the internal structure of galaxies, their star formation histories, and their interaction with their surrounding circumgalactic medium through galaxy winds. This places clear requirements for realistic galaxy formation models to fulfill. In this talk, I will present some of the first results from the high-resolution Azahar simulation suite studying the impact of non-thermal physics on galaxy formation.
Incorporating magnetism, cosmic rays, and radiative transfer without calibration to reproduce galaxy population statistics leads to the regulation of star formation and feedback, generating systematically burstier star formation and modulating outflow properties. These physical processes drive a natural transition from strongly ejective feedback at early times to more self-regulated growth at later epochs. This behaviour differs from both a comparable hydrodynamics-only model and a calibrated feedback prescription. With non-thermal physics included, the simulations naturally reproduce a range of recent JWST-era constraints, including the evolution of the cosmic star formation rate density and UV luminosity functions, as well as inferred metallicities and outflow properties.
Zoom: https://uchicago.zoom.us/j/97992265182?pwd=8KnHof5bFzXyKFFZxHZFlNOVjoRXki.1
