New Simulation of the Universe Creates Realistic Galaxies with Galactic Winds

A team of astronomers have created a realistic simulation of the universe in which realistic galaxies are created. In fact, the simulation is good enough that the mass, size and age of the galaxies are similar to the observed ones. The key to it all is the simulation of strong galactic winds, which are gas winds blown from galaxies.

For years, researchers have studied the formation of galaxies using computer simulations, but with limited success. For example, the galaxies created with previous simulations were often too massive, too small, too old or too spherical.

This latest project, though, proves that it can be done. The simulations took several months to run at the "Cosmology Machine" in Durham and at "Curie" in Paris. The simulation itself is called the EAGLE-simulation (Evolution and Assembly of GaLaxies and their Environments).

The galaxies formed in this simulation are a much closer reflection of real galaxies thanks to the strong galactic winds, which blow away the gas supply needed for the formation of stars. EAGLE's galaxies are lighter and younger because fewer stars form and they form later.

Now that astronomers have developed a simulation that produces galaxies with characteristics similar to observed galaxies, they can now study the evolution of individual galaxies in detail.

"This is the start of a new era for us," said Rob Crain, co-author of the new study, in a news release. "We can now manipulate the conditions of the universe and study the evolution of galaxies throughout the past 14 billion years."

The findings are published in the journal Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society.

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