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| MassiveBlack-II | |
|---|---|
| Name | MassiveBlack-II |
| Type | Cosmological hydrodynamical simulation |
| Institution | Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics; Johns Hopkins University; Australian National University |
| Start | 2010s |
| Volume | 100 h^-1 Mpc |
| Resolution | 2x1792^3 particles |
| Cosmology | Lambda-CDM (WMAP7) |
| Codes | P-GADGET3; GADGET-2 |
| Notable | Galaxy formation; black hole growth; large-scale structure |
MassiveBlack-II MassiveBlack-II is a large cosmological hydrodynamical simulation designed to model galaxy formation, black hole growth, and large-scale structure in a representative comoving volume. The project builds on prior efforts such as Millennium Simulation, Illustris, and EAGLE, combining high particle resolution and advanced subgrid models to connect theoretical predictions with observations from facilities like Hubble Space Telescope, Sloan Digital Sky Survey, and Planck. The simulation has informed studies of galaxy clustering, baryon distribution, and feedback processes relevant to teams at Harvard University, Princeton University, and Max Planck Society.
MassiveBlack-II was developed to extend the scope of earlier efforts including Millennium-II, Bolshoi Simulation, and Horizon-AGN by increasing resolution within a moderate volume to probe high-redshift galaxy populations, quasar activity, and halo occupation statistics. The project involved collaborations among researchers at Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, Johns Hopkins University, and Australian National University, and leveraged cosmological parameters consistent with measurements from WMAP and early Planck results. It complements observational programs such as CANDELS, SDSS-III BOSS, and surveys at the Keck Observatory.
MassiveBlack-II evolved 2x1792^3 dark matter and gas particles in a cubic box of 100 h^-1 Mpc side length using a modified version of the smoothed-particle hydrodynamics code derived from GADGET-2 known as P-GADGET3. Initial conditions were generated with transfer functions from CAMB incorporating Lambda-CDM cosmology tuned to WMAP7 parameters. The mass resolution and force softening allowed study of halos comparable to those in Millennium Simulation and Bolshoi, while capturing baryonic processes relevant for comparisons with data from Hubble Space Telescope and spectroscopic programs like DEEP2 and zCOSMOS.
The simulation incorporated subgrid prescriptions for radiative cooling, star formation, chemical enrichment, and feedback. Cooling and heating used tables influenced by the Haardt & Madau ultraviolet background models applied in many codes including AREPO and ENZO. Star formation followed a multiphase interstellar medium model similar to implementations in GADGET-3 and IllustrisTNG, with stellar feedback calibrated against observational constraints from Spitzer Space Telescope and GALEX. Black hole seeding, accretion, and AGN feedback were modeled analogously to approaches developed in Springel et al. 2005 and applied in Illustris and EAGLE, enabling studies of quasar luminosity functions relevant to surveys like SDSS and CFHTLS.
Model parameters were calibrated to reproduce observed galaxy stellar mass functions, star formation rate histories, and black hole scaling relations measured by teams at UCSC, MPIA, and Carnegie Observatories. Validation compared simulated outputs to luminosity functions from Hubble Space Telescope deep fields, clustering statistics from SDSS and BOSS, and halo mass functions analyzed by groups behind Planck cluster catalogs. Cross-checks used halo finders developed in the tradition of SUBFIND and friends-of-friends algorithms applied in Millennium Simulation analyses.
MassiveBlack-II produced predictions for galaxy clustering, halo occupation, and the coevolution of galaxies and supermassive black holes that informed interpretations of observations from SDSS-IV and high-redshift quasar surveys. The simulation highlighted the importance of AGN feedback for shaping massive galaxy properties, echoing findings from Illustris and EAGLE, and provided catalogs used to study cosmic reionization contributors relevant to instruments such as JWST and ALMA. It yielded insights into baryon effects on matter power spectra informing weak lensing analyses by teams associated with DES and KiDS.
Public data releases from the project included halo catalogs, merger trees, synthetic lightcones, and galaxy catalogs enabling comparisons with surveys like SDSS, CANDELS, and COSMOS. Data formats and access protocols followed community standards similar to those adopted by Millennium Simulation and Illustris public releases, facilitating use by researchers at Caltech, University of Cambridge, and Yale University. Derived products supported mock survey construction for instruments including Euclid and LSST.
MassiveBlack-II has influenced subsequent simulation campaigns including high-resolution projects undertaken by groups at Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics and the Flatiron Institute, and contributed to methodological advances in subgrid modeling of black hole physics seen in successors like IllustrisTNG. Its catalogs have been widely used in studies of galaxy bias, feedback, and cosmological inference by collaborations tied to DESI, Euclid Consortium, and LSST Science Collaboration, establishing a legacy across theoretical and observational astrophysics.