Victor Rufo Pastor

I am PhD student in Dr. Oscar Agertz’s group at the Division of Astrophysics, Department of Physics, Lund University. My research focuses on galaxy formation and evolution using simulations. My main goal is to understand what channels drive the quick formation of the thin disc and the thick disc in Milky Way-type galaxies. 

Galaxy observations are improving all the time, but there is an inherent limitation: observations are images at a particular cosmological time. Cosmological simulations allow us to reconstruct the evolution of the Universe using computational techniques, physical laws and different models. 

The formation and evolution of galaxies is a complex subject, driven by broad and interconnected multi-scale mechanisms, such as star formation, supernova feedback, gas flows, satellite interactions or mergers. 

By combining these two elements, galaxy evolution and simulations, we have access to a complete and detailed evolution of galaxies, frame by frame, from early epochs of the virtual universe to the present. 

A topic of high interest is disc-forming channels. These can be studied by analysing the gas (temperature, density, cooling efficiency), the star formation in the galaxy, the emigration of material within the galaxy and between the galaxy and the circumgalactic/intergalactic medium, the angular momentum, and the satellite and merger effects, among other elements.

Therefore, my work consists on extracting physical information from simulations related to the evolution of galaxies and disc formation. By collecting the appropriate information, it is possible to make comparisons with observations and other simulations. This will answer the questions: how do galaxies and their discs form, how good is our theoretical knowledge, and how does it affect the current cosmological scenario?