A comparison of dust content and properties in GAMA/G10-COSMOS/3D-HST and SIMBA cosmological simulations

TL;DR

This paper compares dust content and properties in cosmological simulations and observations, revealing discrepancies that highlight the need for model refinement, especially at earlier cosmic epochs.

Contribution

It provides a detailed comparison between SIMBA simulations and observed datasets across multiple redshifts, identifying key differences and potential causes.

Findings

Notable deviations in dust content between SIMBA and observations.

Differences attributed to galaxy population variations and simulation limitations.

Results suggest dust physics models are adequate but require refinement for early epochs.

Abstract

The abundance of dust within galaxies directly influences their evolution. Contemporary models attempt to match this abundance by simulating the processes of dust creation, growth, and destruction. While these models are accurate, they require refinement, especially at earlier epochs. This study aims to compare simulated and observed datasets and identify discrepancies between the two, providing a basis for future improvements. We utilise simulation data from the SIMBA cosmological simulation suite and observed data from the Galaxy and Mass Assembly (GAMA), a subset of the Cosmic Evolution Survey (G10-COSMOS), and the Hubble Space Telescope (3D-HST). We selected galaxies in the observed and simulated data in a stellar mass range of $(10^{8.59} < M_\odot < 10^{11.5})$ and at redshift bins centering around $(z = 0.0)$, $(z = 0.1)$, $(z = 0.5)$, $(z = 1.0)$, and $(z = 1.5)$ in a homogeneous dust mass range $((10^{6} < M_D [M_\odot] < 10^{9}))$. Our results show notable deviations between SIMBA and observed data for dust-poor and rich galaxies, with strong indications that differences in galaxy populations and SIMBA limitations are the underlying cause rather than the dust physics implemented in SIMBA itself.