# Simulating the joint evolution of quasars, galaxies and their large-scale distribution

**Authors:** Volker Springel, Simon D. M. White, Adrian Jenkins, Carlos S. Frenk, Naoki Yoshida, Liang Gao, Julio Navarro, Robert Thacker, Darren Croton, John Helly, John A. Peacock, Shaun Cole, Peter Thomas, Hugh Couchman, August Evrard, Joerg Colberg, Frazer Pearce  
**arXiv:** [astro-ph/0504097](https://arxiv.org/abs/astro-ph/0504097)  
**Date:** 2005-04-05  
**Summary page:** https://www.summarizepaper.com/en/paper/astro-ph--0504097v2/

## Key points

- The cold dark matter model, in conjunction with cosmic inflation, is the leading theoretical framework for understanding structure formation in the Universe.
- Structures grow hierarchically through gravitational instability according to this model.
- Precise measurements from galaxy surveys need to be compared with precise theoretical calculations to test this model.
- A novel framework is presented in this study for interpreting galaxy surveys quantitatively.
- The researchers combine a large simulation on the growth of dark matter structure with techniques for tracking the formation and evolution of visible components like galaxies.
- Baryonic matter induces features in the initial conditions of the Universe that are reflected in a distorted manner in the distribution of low-redshift galaxies.
- This finding has implications for understanding dark energy and its role in the accelerated expansion of the Universe.
- The distorted features observed in galaxy distributions can be used to investigate and constrain the nature of dark energy using next-generation surveys.
- This study contributes valuable insights into refining our understanding of structure formation and fundamental aspects of cosmology such as dark matter and dark energy.

## Summary

The cold dark matter model, in conjunction with the theory of cosmic inflation, has emerged as the leading theoretical framework for understanding the formation of structure in the Universe. This model predicts the initial conditions for structure formation and proposes that structures grow hierarchically through gravitational instability. To test this model, it is crucial to compare precise measurements obtained from galaxy surveys with equally precise theoretical calculations. In this study, a novel framework is presented for the quantitative physical interpretation of galaxy surveys. The researchers combine the largest simulation ever conducted on the growth of dark matter structure with new techniques for tracking the formation and evolution of visible components such as galaxies. By doing so, they demonstrate that features induced by baryonic matter in the initial conditions of the Universe are reflected in a distorted manner in the distribution of low-redshift galaxies. This finding has significant implications for our understanding of dark energy, which is believed to be responsible for the accelerated expansion of the Universe. The distorted features observed in galaxy distributions can be utilized to constrain and investigate the nature of dark energy using next-generation surveys. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into how observations from galaxy surveys can be used to refine our understanding of structure formation and shed light on fundamental aspects of cosmology such as dark matter and dark energy, thus contributing to a better comprehension of our Universe.