The origin and evolution of the galaxy mass-metallicity relation
Abstract
We use high-resolution cosmological zoom-in simulations from the Feedback in Realistic Environment (FIRE) project to study the galaxy mass-metallicity relations (MZR) from z = 0-6. These simulations include explicit models of the multiphase ISM, star formation, and stellar feedback. The simulations cover halo masses Mhalo = 109-1013 M⊙ and stellar masses M* = 104-1011 M⊙ at z = 0 and have been shown to produce many observed galaxy properties from z = 0-6. For the first time, our simulations agree reasonably well with the observed mass-metallicity relations at z = 0-3 for a broad range of galaxy masses. We predict the evolution of the MZR from z = 0-6, as log (Z_gas/Z_{{⊙}}) = {12 + log (O/H) - 9.0} = 0.35 [log (M_{*}/M_{{⊙}})-10] + 0.93 exp (-0.43z) - 1.05 and log (Z*/Z⊙) = [Fe/H] + 0.2 = 0.40[log (M*/M⊙) - 10] + 0.67exp ( - 0.50z) - 1.04, for gas-phase and stellar metallicity, respectively. Our simulations suggest that the evolution of MZR is associated with the evolution of stellar/gas mass fractions at different redshifts, indicating the existence of a universal metallicity relation between stellar mass, gas mass, and metallicities. In our simulations, galaxies above M* = 106 M⊙ are able to retain a large fraction of their metals inside the halo, because metal-rich winds fail to escape completely and are recycled into the galaxy. This resolves a longstanding discrepancy between `subgrid' wind models (and semi-analytic models) and observations, where common subgrid models cannot simultaneously reproduce the MZR and the stellar mass functions.
- Publication:
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Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society
- Pub Date:
- February 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1093/mnras/stv2659
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1504.02097
- Bibcode:
- 2016MNRAS.456.2140M
- Keywords:
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- galaxies: evolution;
- galaxies: formation;
- cosmology: theory;
- Astrophysics - Astrophysics of Galaxies;
- Astrophysics - Cosmology and Nongalactic Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 17 pages, 14 figures, re-submitted to MNRAS after revisions on referee comments