Institute for Advanced Study Astrophysics Seminar

The OWLS project aims to study the formation of galaxies and the evolution of the intergalactic medium using a large suite of cosmological gas-dynamical simulations. The simulations are repeated many times using different physical and numerical parameters. This strategy enables us to carefully check for numerical artifacts and to pinpoint relevant physical processes. I will discuss some general aspects of cosmological hydro simulations, focusing in particular on the importance and robustness of so-called subgrid modules for unresolved baryonic physics such as radiative cooling, star formation, and feedback from star formation. Finally, I will present a selection of preliminary results from the OWLS project.