Cosmological simulations of the Milky Way’s formation (A01)

• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2011 to 2022
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 138713538

We exploit the recent progress in numerical techniques for cosmological simulations and use the new IllustrisTNG50 simulation to uncover stellar population patterns in Milky-Way-like galaxies across their morphological components. Also, we plan to use IllustrisTNG50 as a starting point to further improve the modelling of Milky-Way-like galaxies, with specific focus on feedback schemes and chemical enrichment. We will combine the resulting merger trees with our semi-analytic model of first star formation to make detailed predictions for the metallicity distribution and abundance pattern of extremely metal-poor stars in the Milky Way system.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 881: The Milky Way System
• Applicant Institution: Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg
• Co-Applicant Institution: Max-Planck-Institut für Astronomie (MPIA)
• Project Heads: Professor Dr. Andreas Just, until 12/2014; Professor Dr. Ralf Klessen, Ph.D., since 1/2019; Professor Dr. Andrea Valerio Macciò, until 8/2015; Dr. Annalisa Pillepich, Ph.D., since 1/2019; Professor Dr. Hans-Walter Rix, from 9/2015 until 12/2018; Professor Dr. Volker Springel, until 12/2018