FOREVER22: galaxy formation in protocluster regions

TL;DR

This paper introduces the FOREVER22 cosmological simulation campaign, modeling galaxy formation in protocluster regions across different scales, revealing insights into early galaxy evolution, star formation, and potential observational targets.

Contribution

It provides a multi-scale simulation framework for protocluster regions, capturing galaxy formation, SMBH activity, and stellar population transitions, with implications for future observations.

Findings

Protocluster cores host multiple starburst galaxies with high SFRs.

AGN feedback influences star formation in Brightest proto-Cluster Galaxies.

First galaxies with high SFRs form around redshift 10, observable by JWST.

Abstract

We present results from a new cosmological hydrodynamics simulation campaign of protocluster (PC) regions, FOREVER22: FORmation and EVolution of galaxies in Extremely-overdense Regions motivated by SSA22. The simulations cover a wide range of cosmological scales using three different zoom set-ups in a parent volume of $(714.2~\rm cMpc)^{3}$: PCR (Proto-Cluster Region; $V= (28.6~{\rm cMpc})^{3} $, SPH particle mass, $m_{\rm{SPH}} = 4.1 \times 10^{6}~\rm M_{\odot}$ and final redshift, $z_{\rm end}=2.0$), BCG (Brightest proto-Cluster Galaxy; $V \sim (10~{\rm cMpc})^{3} $, $m_{\rm SPH} = 5.0\times10^{5}~\rm M_{\odot}$ and $z_{\rm end}=4.0$ ), and First ( $V \sim (3~{\rm cMpc})^{3} $, $m_{\rm SPH} = 7.9 \times 10^{3}~\rm M_{\odot}$ and $z_{\rm end}=9.5$) runs, that allow to focus on different aspects of galaxy formation. In the PCR runs, we follow 10 PCs, each harbouring 1 - 4 SMBHs with $M_{\rm BH} \ge 10^{9}~\rm M_{\odot}$. One of the PC cores shows a spatially close arrangement of seven starburst galaxies with ${\rm SFR} \gtrsim 100~\rm M_{\odot}~yr^{-1}$ each, that are dust-obscured and would appear as submillimeter galaxies with flux $\gtrsim 1~$ mJy at $1.1~ \rm mm$ in observations. The BCG runs show that the total SFRs of haloes hosting BCGs are affected by AGN feedback, but exceed $1000~\rm M_{\odot}~yr^{-1}$ at $z \lesssim 6$. The First runs resolve mini-haloes hosting population (Pop) III stars and we show that, in PC regions, the dominant stellar population changes from Pop III to Pop II at $z \gtrsim 20$, and the first galaxies with ${\rm SFR} \gtrsim 18~\rm M_{\odot}~yr^{-1}$ form at $z \sim 10$. These can be prime targets for future observations with the James Webb Space Telescope. Our simulations successfully reproduce the global star formation activities in observed PCs and suggest that PCs can kickstart cosmic reionization.