Bridging the Divide: A Multi-Scale Approach to Galaxy Formation

Galaxies are at the core of nearly all modern astrophysical studies. They serve as essential cosmological probes, tracing the structure of the universe, while also providing the stage on which stars form and black holes grow. Despite their incredible importance, our understanding of galaxy evolution remains far from complete. There are fundamental inconsistencies between our best models and observations. The key piece in this cosmic puzzle lies in deciphering the complex balance between the inflows and outflows that shape galaxies and regulate the fuel supply for their continued growth. Understanding these galactic gas flows has, to date, been inhibited by the seemingly insurmountable range of spatial and temporal scales inherent to the governing processes. I will describe recent efforts to bridge this vast range of scales using novel simulations. These simulations connect small-scale processes—like atomic cooling and turbulent mixing—with larger-scale phenomena such as supernova explosions and cosmological structure formation. Finally, I will introduce our brand new cosmological simulations that self-consistently incorporate these multiscale processes and paint an intuitive picture that reconciles the tension at the heart of galaxy formation.