Apples-to-apples comparisons between simulations and observations from UV to mm wavelengths

Cosmological hydrodynamics simulations are a powerful tool in the study of the formation and evolution of galaxies. To calibrate these simulations and make quantitative predictions, an apples-to-apples comparison to observational data is required.

This is not trivial: hydrodynamics simulations generate intrinsic properties such as stellar masses and SFRs, which are not directly comparable to the measured properties of observed galaxies. We have developed the forward modelling tool SKIRT to generate realistic synthetic images, SEDs and spectra for galaxies from cosmological hydrodynamics simulations.

The mock observations account for the different stellar populations, the disturbing effects of the dusty ISM, and the 3D geometry of galaxies, and they can immediately be compared to observational data. I will present the latest results on the comparison of synthetic data from different cosmological simulations (EAGLE, TNG, Auriga, ARTEMIS…) to observational data from UV to mm wavelengths.

Topics to be discussed include the cosmic spectral energy distribution, multi-band luminosity functions, galaxy scaling relations, and galaxy morphology indices for different cosmological simulations. I will also briefly discuss other possibilities and applications of the SKIRT code such as X-ray radiative transfer, Lyman-alpha radiative transfer, and non-LTE line radiative transfer.