Galaxy Evolution with Adaptive Mesh Refinement

To numerically model the evolution of galaxies very high resolution simulations are indispensable because of nonlinear couplings between pc and Mpc scales. We present a method to interpolate particle data onto an Eulerian adaptive mesh. This allows us to study galaxy mergers and evolution using the cosmological adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) code enzo[1] [2]. This pipeline also makes it straightforward to compare smooth particle hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations with AMR simulations of the same physical system. We present the evolution of a stable disk galaxy and test whether the same system moving at 220 km/s across the grid show the same physical evolution and find satisfactory results. We also show calculations that follow the formation of a gas rich low mass disk including star formation and feedback. These early tests are encouraging and demonstrate that enzo is well suited for studying galaxy evolution as has been shown previously by Tasker and Bryan [3].