Discrepancies Between JWST Observations and Simulations of Quenched Massive Galaxies at $z > 3$: A Comparative Study With IllustrisTNG and ASTRID

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Autori principali: Weller, Emma Jane, Pacucci, Fabio, Ni, Yueying, Hernquist, Lars, Park, Minjung
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2024
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author Weller, Emma Jane
Pacucci, Fabio
Ni, Yueying
Hernquist, Lars
Park, Minjung
author_facet Weller, Emma Jane
Pacucci, Fabio
Ni, Yueying
Hernquist, Lars
Park, Minjung
contents Recent JWST observations have uncovered an unexpectedly large population of massive quiescent galaxies at $z>3$. Using the cosmological simulations IllustrisTNG and ASTRID, we identify analogous galaxies and investigate their abundance, formation, quenching mechanisms, and post-quenching evolution for stellar masses $9.5 < \log_{10}{(M_\star/{\rm M}_\odot)} < 12$. We apply three different quenching definitions and find that both simulations significantly underestimate the comoving number density of quenched massive galaxies at $z \gtrsim 3$ compared to JWST observations by up to $\sim 2$ dex. In both simulations, the high-$z$ quenched massive galaxies often host overmassive central black holes above the local $M_{BH}-M_\star$ relation, implying that AGN feedback is key in quenching galaxies in the early Universe. The typical quenching timescales for these galaxies are $\sim 200-600$ Myr. IllustrisTNG primarily employs AGN kinetic feedback, while ASTRID relies on AGN thermal feedback at $z > 2.3$, which is less effective and has a longer quenching timescale. Although these simulations differ in many aspects, making a direct comparison challenging, our findings suggest the need for improved physical models of AGN feedback in galaxy formation simulations. At lower stellar masses, the quenched galaxies have denser local environments than the star-forming galaxies, suggesting that environmental quenching helps quench less massive galaxies. We also study the post-quenching evolution of the high-$z$ massive quiescent galaxies and find that many experience subsequent reactivation of star formation, evolving into primary progenitors of $z=0$ brightest cluster galaxies.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2406_02664
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Discrepancies Between JWST Observations and Simulations of Quenched Massive Galaxies at $z > 3$: A Comparative Study With IllustrisTNG and ASTRID
Weller, Emma Jane
Pacucci, Fabio
Ni, Yueying
Hernquist, Lars
Park, Minjung
Astrophysics of Galaxies
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
Recent JWST observations have uncovered an unexpectedly large population of massive quiescent galaxies at $z>3$. Using the cosmological simulations IllustrisTNG and ASTRID, we identify analogous galaxies and investigate their abundance, formation, quenching mechanisms, and post-quenching evolution for stellar masses $9.5 < \log_{10}{(M_\star/{\rm M}_\odot)} < 12$. We apply three different quenching definitions and find that both simulations significantly underestimate the comoving number density of quenched massive galaxies at $z \gtrsim 3$ compared to JWST observations by up to $\sim 2$ dex. In both simulations, the high-$z$ quenched massive galaxies often host overmassive central black holes above the local $M_{BH}-M_\star$ relation, implying that AGN feedback is key in quenching galaxies in the early Universe. The typical quenching timescales for these galaxies are $\sim 200-600$ Myr. IllustrisTNG primarily employs AGN kinetic feedback, while ASTRID relies on AGN thermal feedback at $z > 2.3$, which is less effective and has a longer quenching timescale. Although these simulations differ in many aspects, making a direct comparison challenging, our findings suggest the need for improved physical models of AGN feedback in galaxy formation simulations. At lower stellar masses, the quenched galaxies have denser local environments than the star-forming galaxies, suggesting that environmental quenching helps quench less massive galaxies. We also study the post-quenching evolution of the high-$z$ massive quiescent galaxies and find that many experience subsequent reactivation of star formation, evolving into primary progenitors of $z=0$ brightest cluster galaxies.
title Discrepancies Between JWST Observations and Simulations of Quenched Massive Galaxies at $z > 3$: A Comparative Study With IllustrisTNG and ASTRID
topic Astrophysics of Galaxies
Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
High Energy Astrophysical Phenomena
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.02664