Simulating the LOcal Web (SLOW)

Abstract

Context. This is the second paper in a series presenting the results from a 500 h−1Mpc large constrained simulation of the local Universe (SLOW). The initial conditions for this cosmological hydro-dynamical simulation are based on peculiar velocities derived from the CosmicFlows-2 catalog. The simulation follows cooling, star formation, and the evolution of super-massive black holes. This allows one to directly predict observable properties of the intracluster medium (ICM) within galaxy clusters, including X-ray luminosity, temperatures, and the Compton-y signal. Aims. Comparing the properties of observed galaxy clusters within the local Universe with the properties of their simulated counterparts enables us to assess the effectiveness of the initial condition constraints in accurately replicating the mildly nonlinear properties of the largest, collapsed objects within the simulation. Methods. Based on the combination of several, publicly available surveys we compiled a sample of galaxy clusters within the local Universe, of which we were able to cross-identify 46 of them with an associated counterpart within the SLOW simulation. We then derived the probability of the cross identification based on mass, X-ray luminosity, temperature, and Compton-y by comparing it to a random selection. Results. Our set of 46 cross-identified local Universe clusters contains the 13 most massive clusters from the Planck SZ catalog as well as 70% of clusters with M500 larger than 2 × 1014 M⊙. Compared to previous constrained simulations of the local volume, we found in SLOW a much larger amount of replicated galaxy clusters, where their simulation-based mass prediction falls within the uncertainties of the observational mass estimates. Comparing the median observed and simulated masses of our cross-identified sample allows us to independently deduce a hydrostatic mass bias of (1 − b)≈0.87. Conclusions. The SLOW constrained simulation of the local Universe faithfully reproduces numerous fundamental characteristics of a sizable number of galaxy clusters within our local neighborhood, opening a new avenue for studying the formation and evolution of a large set of individual galaxy clusters as well as testing our understanding of physical processes governing the ICM.