The evolution of star-forming galaxies at high redshifts is very sensitive to the strength and nature of stellar feedback. Using two sets of cosmological, zoom-in simulations from the VELA suite, we compare the effects of two different models of feedback: with and without kinetic feedback from the expansion of supernovae shells and stellar winds. At a fixed halo mass and redshift, the stellar mass is reduced by a factor of ∼1–3 in the models with stronger feedback, so the stellar mass–halo mass relation is in better agreement with abundance matching results. On the other hand, the three-dimensional shape of low-mass galaxies is elongated along a major axis in both models. At a fixed stellar mass, M* < 1010 M⊙, galaxies are more elongated in the strong-feedback case. More massive, star-forming discs with high surface densities form giant clumps. However, the population of round, compact, old (agec > 300 Myr), quenched, stellar (or gas-poor) clumps is absent in the model with strong feedback. On the other hand, giant star-forming clumps with intermediate ages (agec = 100–300 Myr) can survive for several disc dynamical times, independently of feedback strength. The evolution through compaction followed by quenching in the plane of central surface density and specific star formation rate is similar under the two feedback models.
We utilize high-resolution cosmological simulations to reveal that high-redshift galaxies tend to undergo a robust ‘wet compaction’ event when near a ‘golden’ stellar mass of $\sim \!\!10^{10}\, \rm M_\odot$ . This is a gaseous shrinkage to a compact star-forming phase, a ‘blue nugget’ (BN), followed by central quenching of star formation to a compact passive stellar bulge, a ‘red nugget’ (RN), and a buildup of an extended gaseous disc and ring. Such nuggets are observed at cosmic noon and seed today’s early-type galaxies. The compaction is triggered by a drastic loss of angular momentum due to, e.g. wet mergers, counter-rotating cold streams, or violent disc instability. The BN phase marks drastic transitions in the galaxy structural, compositional, and kinematic properties. The transitions are from star forming to quenched inside-out, from diffuse to compact with an extended disc or ring and a stellar envelope, from dark matter to baryon central dominance, from prolate to oblate stellar shape, from pressure to rotation support, from low to high metallicity, and from supernova to AGN feedback. The central black hole growth, first suppressed by supernova feedback when below the golden mass, is boosted by the compaction, and the black hole keeps growing once the halo is massive enough to lock in the supernova ejecta.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10412847
- Publisher / Repository:
- Oxford University Press
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Volume:
- 522
- Issue:
- 3
- ISSN:
- 0035-8711
- Page Range / eLocation ID:
- p. 4515-4547
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
more » « less
ABSTRACT -
more » « less
ABSTRACT Contrary to many stereotypes about massive galaxies, observed brightest group galaxies (BGGs) are diverse in their star formation rates, kinematic properties, and morphologies. Studying how they evolve into and express such diverse characteristics is an important piece of the galaxy formation puzzle. We use a high-resolution cosmological suite of simulations Romulus and compare simulated central galaxies in group-scale haloes at z = 0 to observed BGGs. The comparison encompasses the stellar mass–halo mass relation, various kinematic properties and scaling relations, morphologies, and the star formation rates. Generally, we find that Romulus reproduces the full spectrum of diversity in the properties of the BGGs very well, albeit with a tendency toward lower than the observed fraction of quenched BGGs. We find both early-type S0 and elliptical galaxies as well as late-type disc galaxies; we find Romulus galaxies that are fast-rotators as well as slow-rotators; and we observe galaxies transforming from late-type to early-type following strong dynamical interactions with satellites. We also carry out case studies of selected Romulus galaxies to explore the link between their properties, and the recent evolution of the stellar system as well as the surrounding intragroup/circumgalactic medium. In general, mergers/strong interactions quench star-forming activity and disrupt the stellar disc structure. Sometimes, however, such interactions can also trigger star formation and galaxy rejuvenation. Black hole feedback can also lead to a decline of the star formation rate but by itself, it does not typically lead to complete quenching of the star formation activity in the BGGs.
-
more » « less
ABSTRACT Supermassive stars with masses of M* ≃ 104–105 M⊙ are invoked as possible seeds of high-redshift supermassive black holes, but it remains under debate whether their protostar indeed acquires sufficient mass via gas accretion overcoming radiative feedback. We investigate protostellar growth in dynamically heated atomic cooling haloes (ACHs) found in recent cosmological simulations, performing three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamical simulations that consider stellar evolution under variable mass accretion. We find that one of the ACHs feeds the central protostar at rates exceeding a critical value, above which the star evolves in a cool bloating phase and hardly produces ionizing photons. Consequently, the stellar mass reaches M* ≳ 104 M⊙ unimpeded by radiative feedback. In the other ACH, where the mass supply rate is lower, the star evolves almost as a hot main-sequence star, emitting intense ionizing radiation. Then, the stellar mass growth is terminated around 500 M⊙ by photoevaporation of the circumstellar disc. Our simulations provide a formula of the final stellar mass determined either by stellar feedback or their lifetime as a function of the mass supply rate from the parent cloud. Combining the results with the statistical properties of star-forming clouds in high-redshift quasar progenitor haloes, we construct a top-heavy mass distribution of primordial stars over M* ≃ 100–105 M⊙, approximately following a power-law spectrum of ${\propto} M_\ast ^{-1.3}$. Their black hole remnants would be further fed via the dense debris disc, powering ‘milliquasars’ with a bolometric luminosity of Lbol ≳ 1043 erg s−1.
-
more » « less
ABSTRACT We present a suite of 16 high-resolution hydrodynamic simulations of an isolated dwarf galaxy (gaseous and stellar disc plus a stellar bulge) within an initially cuspy dark matter (DM) halo, including self-interactions between the DM particles; as well as stochastic star formation and subsequent supernova feedback (SNF), implemented using the stellar feedback model SMUGGLE. The simulations start from identical initial conditions, and we regulate the strength of DM self-interactions and SNF by systematically varying the self-interacting DM (SIDM) momentum transfer cross-section and the gas density threshold for star formation. The DM halo forms a constant density core of similar size and shape for several combinations of those two parameters. Haloes with cores that are formed due to SIDM (adiabatic cusp-core transformation) have velocity dispersion profiles that are closer to isothermal than those of haloes with cores that are formed due to SNF in simulations with bursty star formation (impulsive cusp-core transformation). Impulsive SNF can generate positive stellar age gradients and increase random motion in the gas at the centre of the galaxy. Simulated galaxies in haloes with cores that were formed adiabatically are spatially more extended, with stellar metallicity gradients that are shallower (at late times) than those of galaxies in other simulations. Such observable properties of the gas and the stars, which indicate either an adiabatic or an impulsive evolution of the gravitational potential, may be used to determine whether observed cores in DM haloes are formed through DM self-interactions or in response to impulsive SNF.
-
more » « less
ABSTRACT Star-forming galaxies like the Milky Way are surrounded by a hot gaseous halo at the virial temperature – the so-called galactic corona – that plays a fundamental role in their evolution. The interaction between the disc and the corona has been shown to have a direct impact on accretion of coronal gas onto the disc with major implications for galaxy evolution. In this work, we study the gas circulation between the disc and the corona of star-forming galaxies like the Milky Way. We use high-resolution hydrodynamical N-body simulations of a Milky Way-like galaxy with the inclusion of an observationally motivated galactic corona. In doing so, we use SMUGGLE, an explicit interstellar medium (ISM), and stellar feedback model coupled with the moving-mesh code arepo. We find that the reservoir of gas in the galactic corona is sustaining star formation: the gas accreted from the corona is the primary fuel for the formation of new stars, helping in maintaining a nearly constant level of cold gas mass in the galactic disc. Stellar feedback generates a gas circulation between the disc and the corona (the so-called galactic fountain) by ejecting different gas phases that are eventually re-accreted onto the disc. The accretion of coronal gas is promoted by its mixing with the galactic fountains at the disc–corona interface, causing the formation of intermediate temperature gas that enhances the cooling of the hot corona. We find that this process acts as a positive feedback mechanism, increasing the accretion rate of coronal gas onto the galaxy.
