Star Formation History in the Illustris TNG Simulation

Abstract

We processed the catalogue data for all snapshots of the Illustris TNG100 cosmological simulation and collected every calculated property of the galaxies formed at different redshifts. With this dataset we can statistically analyze parameters for galaxy samples at given redshifts, as well as trace sample parameters over the entire time range of the simulation. Focusing first on star formation rate (SFR) and metallicity, we see the cosmic star formation history with the mean maximum at around z ≈ 1.6 and the reionization bump at around z ≈ 5, while metallicity increases. For a sample of strongly star-forming galaxies with SFR > 10 M yr−1 we found different characteristics compared to the whole sample. The mean metallicity of highly star-forming galaxies is higher and changes less, and the mean SFR has its maximum at around the reionization bump.