Simulating galaxy clusters at high resolution

Abstract

State-of-the-art cosmological hydrodynamical simulations are able to follow a variety of physical processes, responsible for the formation and evolution of galaxy clusters and of their baryonic component. Given the dynamical range involved, resolving the details of the galaxy population inside the cluster environment is nevertheless challenging and high or very-high resolution simulations are thus required. Here, we investigated the effects of improving resolution on the sub-grid models for feedback and star formation and on the resulting baryonic properties of simulated clusters and their member galaxies, with special focus on a study-case simulated region centered on a massive galaxy cluster.