NIHAO XII: galactic uniformity in a \Lambda CDM universe

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that galaxy formation in a DM universe is remarkably uniform across different halo masses, with low scatter in key relations, highlighting the self-regulating nature of galaxy formation.

Contribution

The paper combines high-resolution simulations and a semi-analytic model to quantify galaxy formation stochasticity and its dependence on halo properties in a DM universe.

Findings

Scatter in HI velocity is consistent with observations for certain velocity ranges.

Stellar mass scatter is minimized using specific halo velocity measures.

Galaxy formation efficiency shows remarkable uniformity across halo masses.

Abstract

We use a sample of 83 high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations and a semi-analytic model (SAM) to study the stochasticity of galaxy formation in haloes ranging from dwarf to Milky Way masses. Our simulated galaxies reproduce the observed inefficiency of galaxy formation as expressed through the stellar, gas and baryonic Tully-Fisher relations. For HI velocities in the range (70 < V < 220 km/s), the scatter is just 0.08 to 0.14 dex, consistent with the observed intrinsic scatter at these scales. At low velocities (20 < V < 70 km/s), the simulated scatter is 0.2-0.25 dex, which could be tested with future observations. The scatter in the stellar mass versus dark halo velocity relation is constant for 30 < V < 180 km/s, and smaller (~0.17 dex) when using the maximum circular velocity of the dark matter only simulation, Vmax, compared to the virial velocity ($V_{200}$ or $V_{200}^{DMO}$). The scatter in stellar mass is correlated with halo concentration, and is minimized when using a circular velocity at a fixed fraction of the virial radius $\simeq 0.4 R_{200}$ or with $V_{\alpha}=V_{200}^{DMO} (V_{max}^{DMO} / V_{200}^{DMO})^\alpha$ with \alpha ~ 0.7, consistent with constraints from halo clustering. Using the SAM we show the correlation between halo formation time and concentration is essential in order to reproduce this result. This uniformity in galaxy formation efficiency we see in our hydrodynamical simulations and a semi-analytic model proves the simplicity and self-regulating nature of galaxy formation in a \Lambda Cold Dark Matter universe.