Presentation

LCEG

The Cosmology and Galaxy Evolution team focuses on studying the formation, evolution, and physical properties of large cosmological structures, galaxy clusters, galaxies themselves and their internal structure, down to the large scales of star formation. These structures are studied throughout cosmic time, from the birth of the first galaxies to the objects closest to us today. These studies are conducted using multi-wavelength observations from state-of-the-art observatories (ALMA, JWST, VLT, IRAM, and Euclid) supplemented by cosmological simulations and state-of-the-art galaxy evolution simulations using the largest supercomputers in Europe. Continuous interaction between observations and simulations is sought in order to maximize data interpretation and provide the best constraints for structure formation models.

Main Activities

The key questions addressed by the “Cosmology and Galaxy Evolution” team are as follows:

• When and how do the largest structures in the Universe form, how are they shaped by dark energy and the nature of dark matter, and how do they feed galaxies by driving baryonic flows along the cosmic web?
• When do the first proto-clusters of galaxies emerge, and how do they evolve into modern galaxy clusters? How can they be robustly detected and characterized across cosmic timescales in order to constrain underlying cosmological models?
• How do massive galaxies assemble most of their mass, through mergers and gas accretion, and how do they evolve into the modern Hubble Sequence?
• What regulates star formation on a galactic scale? Why do most galaxies convert their gas into stars at a uniform rate, while a few rare objects become starburst galaxies, and the most massive galaxies eventually become star-forming-star-forming galaxies?
• What is the role of feedback (supernovae, stellar radiation, AGN, cosmic rays, etc.) in regulating galaxy growth and feeding the intergalactic medium with recycled, metal-enriched gas?