The dwarf stellar mass function in different environments and the lack of a generic missing dwarfs problem in ΛCDM
(2025)
The dwarf stellar mass function in different environments and the lack of a generic missing dwarfs problem in ΛCDM
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society Oxford University Press 544:4 (2025) 3936-3948
Abstract:
We combine deep photometric data in the COSMOS and XMM-LSS fields with high-resolution cosmological hydrodynamical simulations to explore two key questions: (1) how does the galaxy stellar mass function, particularly in the dwarf ( 10 M) regime, vary with environment, defined as the distance from large-scale structure (LSS) traced by nodes and filaments in the cosmic web? (2) is there a generic ‘missing dwarfs’ problem in Lambda cold dark matter (CDM) predictions when all environments – and not just satellites around Milky Way like galaxies – are considered? The depth of the observational data used here enables us to construct complete, unbiased samples of galaxies, down to 10 M and out to . Strong environmental differences are found for the galaxy stellar mass function when considering distance from LSS. As we move closer to LSS, the dwarf mass function becomes progressively flatter and the knee of the mass function shifts to larger stellar masses, both of which result in a higher ratio of massive to dwarf galaxies. While the stellar mass functions from the three simulations (NewHorizon, TNG50, and FIREbox) considered here do not completely agree across the dwarf regime, there is no evidence of a generic missing dwarfs problem in the context of CDM, akin to the results of recent work that demonstrates that there is no missing satellites problem around Galactic analogues.MEGATRON: the environments of Population III stars at Cosmic Dawn and their connection to present day galaxies
(2025)
Impact of cosmic ray-driven outflows on Lyman-α emission in cosmological simulations
The Astrophysical Journal American Astronomical Society 992:1 (2025) 67
Abstract:
Cosmic ray (CR) feedback has been proposed as a powerful mechanism for driving warm gas outflows in galaxies. We use cosmological magnetohydrodynamic simulations to investigate the impact of CR feedback on neutral hydrogen (HI) in a 1011²Ñ⊙ dark matter halo at 2<z<4. To this end, we post-process the simulations with ionizing radiative transfer and perform Monte Carlo Lyman-α (Lyα) transfer calculations. CR feedback reduces HI column densities around young stars, thereby allowing more Lyα photons to escape and consequently offering a better match to the Lyα luminosities of observed Lyα emitters. Although galaxies with CR-driven outflows have more extended HI in the circumgalactic medium, two Lyα line properties sensitive to optical depth and gas kinematics - the location of the red peak in velocity space (vred) and relative strength of the blue-to-red peaks (B/R) - cannot distinguish between the CR-driven and non-CR simulations. This is because Lyα photons propagate preferentially along low HI density channels created by the ionizing radiation, thereby limiting the scattering with volume-filling HI. In contrast, the observed low flux ratios between the valley and peak and the surface brightness profiles are better reproduced in the model with CR-driven outflows because the Lyα photons interact more before escaping, rather than being destroyed by dust as is the case in the non-CR simulation. We discuss the potential cause of the paucity of sightlines in simulations that exhibit prominent red peaks and large vred, which may require the presence of more volume-filling HI.MEGATRON: the impact of non-equilibrium effects and local radiation fields on the circumgalactic medium at cosmic noon
(2025)