CCA Colloquium: Ben Keller

Date


Title: Is anything true, or is everything permitted (galactically speaking)?

Abstract: The past 20 years have, to first order, been a stunning success for cosmological simulations of galaxy formation. Improvements to the hydrodynamics methods, subgrid models, and simple resolution have resulted in countless papers touting the ability to match some observed relationship or another. A closer look at the state of our knowledge reveals a more subtle picture. The ability to produce numerical models which match material reality does not yet mean we have retraced the steps that nature has taken, but instead found one of a potentially vast array of paths to evolve the well-constrained initial conditions provided by LCDM to the chemical, dynamical, or morphological properties and relationships we observe. In this talk, I will discuss my recent efforts to understand the outlines of galaxy formation theory space that are allowed by the empirical constraints. By combining new observational methods and instruments with an exploration the plethora of models and phenomena that make up “galaxy formation theory”, I will present my thoughts on how our field can move beyond competing to make more and more “realistic galaxies” towards truly understanding the landscape of physical processes that result in the galaxy populations we see over 13 Gyr of cosmic time.

January 31, 2025

Ben Keller: Is Anything True, or Is Everything Permitted (Galactically Speaking)?

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