Cosmological simulations

The group of Prof. Habouzit has strong theoretical expertise in the formation and evolution of galaxies and their massive black holes (MBHs), as well as advanced simulation modeling.

They design state-of-the-art cosmological hydrodynamical simulations of the Universe, covering scales of tens of Mpc and tracking the evolution of thousands of galaxies and their MBHs. Unlike other simulations in the literature, where MBHs are artificially placed at the centre of all galaxies, their high-resolution simulations incorporate today’s leading theoretical models for MBH formation. This enables us to statistically constrain the frequency of MBH formation, the conditions under which they form, their properties, and the types of galaxies they inhabit. By comparing their predictions with current and future observations, they determine the contributions of MBH formation models in the Universe and unravel the origin(s) of these fascinating objects.

This work provides crucial multi-band and multi-messenger diagnostics to help prepare and maximize the scientific return of missions such as JWST, Euclid, Roman, NewAthena, and LISA, which will soon detect MBHs at redshifts close to their formation.