The CIELO project: The chemo-dynamical properties of galaxies and the cosmic web

¹ Instituto de Astrofísica, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago, Chile
² Centro de AstroIngeniería, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Av. Vicuña Mackenna 4860, Santiago, Chile
³ Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio, CONICET-UBA, Casilla de Correos 67, Suc. 28, 1428 Buenos Aires, Argentina
⁴ Instituto de Astronomía Teórica y Experimental, Laprida 900, Córdoba, Argentina
⁵ Departamento de Física Teórica, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain
⁶ Centro de Investigación Avanzada en Física Fundamental, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid, E-28049 Cantoblanco, Madrid, Spain

^⋆ Corresponding author; patricia.tissera@uc.cl

Received: 9 December 2024
Accepted: 27 March 2025

Abstract

Context. The CIELO project introduces a novel set of chemo-dynamical zoom-in simulations, designed to simultaneously resolve galaxies and their nearby environments. The initial conditions (ICs) encompass a diverse range of cosmic structures, including local groups, filaments, voids, and walls, enabling a detailed exploration of galaxies within their broader cosmic web context.

Aims. This study aims to present the ICs and characterise the global properties of CIELO galaxies and their environments. Specifically, it focuses on galaxies with stellar masses ranging from 10⁸ to 10¹¹ M_⊙ and investigates key scaling relations, such as the mass-size relation, the Tully-Fisher relation (TFR), and the mass-metallicity relation (MZR) for both stars and star-forming gas.

Methods. We employed the DisPerSe algorithm to determine the positions of CIELO galaxies within the cosmic web, with a particular focus on the Pehuen haloes. The selection of Local Group (LG) type volumes was guided by criteria based on relative positions and velocities of the two primary galaxies. The Pehuen regions were selected to map walls, filaments and voids. Synthetic SDSS i, r, and g band images were generated using the SKIRT radiative transfer code. Furthermore, a dynamical decomposition was performed to classify galaxy morphologies into bulge, disc, and stellar halo components.

Results. The CIELO galaxies exhibit stellar-to-dark matter fractions consistent with both observational data and other simulation results. These galaxies align with expected scaling relations, such as the mass-size relation and TFR, indicating effective regulation of star formation and feedback processes. The mass-size relation reveals the expected dependence on galaxy morphology. The gas and stellar MZRs also agree well with observational data, with the stellar MZR displaying strong correlations with galaxy size (R_hm) and star formation rate (SFR). This indicates that smaller, less star-forming galaxies tend to have higher metallicities. Future investigations will delve into the chemo-dynamical properties of bulges, discs, and stellar haloes, exploring their connections to assembly histories and positions within the cosmic web.