Numerical simulations of galaxy formation

The project will be on numerical simulations of galaxy formation carried out on supercomputers. It is thought that energy injection by supermassive black holes (so-called AGN feedback) plays an extremely important role in galaxy evolution. However, current gas-dynamical simulations of galaxy formation include only extremely simplified modelling of AGN feedback. The aim of the PhD project is to develop and improved subgrid model for AGN feedback that can be included in the EAGLE gas-dynamical simulation code. It will focus on feedback due to relativistic jets emitted by spinning black holes accreting gas, modelling both the power of these jets and how they deposit energy in the surrounding gas. The consequences of this improved AGN feedback model in terms of both galaxy evolution and radio emission from galaxies will then be studied.