Paper

{
  "raw_xml": "<entry>\n    <id>http://arxiv.org/abs/2603.15235v1</id>\n    <title>Towards physically more comprehensive AGN modelling in cosmological simulations: A MACER-based modification of IllustrisTNG</title>\n    <updated>2026-03-16T13:10:46Z</updated>\n    <link href='https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.15235v1' rel='alternate' type='text/html'/>\n    <link href='https://arxiv.org/pdf/2603.15235v1' rel='related' title='pdf' type='application/pdf'/>\n    <summary>Active galactic nuclei (AGN) feedback plays a significant role in many aspects of galaxy formation and evolution and has become a key ingredient in cosmological simulations. However, the subgrid models of AGN feedback in cosmological simulations such as IllustrisTNG (hereafter TNG) often overlook recent progress in the small-scale modelling of black hole (BH) accretion and AGN physics. In this study, we improve on this by incorporating central aspects of the MACER model, a framework that treats AGN physics in greater detail, into the TNG feedback implementation. Specifically, we adopt MACER-prescriptions for feedback output for high and low accretion rates in a new model while the estimation of the accretion rate remains unchanged. We test this updated scenario both for idealized elliptical galaxies and for a cosmological box. Compared to the original TNG model, the MACER-based simulation leads to a higher star formation rate (SFR) and BH accretion rate in ellipticals, yielding a gas density profile in better agreement with observations. In the cosmological simulations, the time evolution of the SFR density, galaxy stellar mass function at $z=0$, and $M_{\\star}-M_{\\rm BH}$ relation at $M_{\\star}&gt;10^{10.5}\\,{\\rm M_{\\odot}}$ are similar in both models. The MACER model better reproduces low-mass BHs in low-mass galaxies, and yields milder quenching in massive galaxies, although this is accompanied by the absence of a pronounced colour bimodality. Still, the similarity of the outcomes underlines the self-regulated nature of BH feedback: for different feedback energetics, the accretion rate tends to adjust such that a similar total AGN feedback energy is released.</summary>\n    <category scheme='http://arxiv.org/schemas/atom' term='astro-ph.GA'/>\n    <published>2026-03-16T13:10:46Z</published>\n    <arxiv:comment>20 pages, 18 pages, submit to MNRAS</arxiv:comment>\n    <arxiv:primary_category term='astro-ph.GA'/>\n    <author>\n      <name>Bocheng Zhu</name>\n    </author>\n    <author>\n      <name>Volker Springel</name>\n    </author>\n    <author>\n      <name>Feng Yuan</name>\n    </author>\n  </entry>"
}