Galaxy Formation Group

In the last few years, a standard model of cosmology has emerged, called the LCDM model. Ordinary luminous matter (baryons) makes up only a small fraction (about 4 percent) of the total mass density.  The remaining part of the universe is dark and made up of two different ingredients: Dark Matter and Dark Energy.

Visual comparison of real (left) and simulated (right) galaxies of different morphologies. Credit: T. Buck (PhD thesis), based on NIHAO simulations (PI: Andrea V. Macciò).

The theory of cold dark matter (CDM) provides now a successful framework for understanding structure formation in the universe. In a universe dominated by CDM and a cosmological constant galaxy formation and evolution is a complex combination of hierarchical clustering, gas dissipation, merging events and secular evolution

NYU Abu Dhabi's Galaxy Formation Group uses state of the art numerical cosmological simulations to study galaxy formation and evolution during cosmic times with the aim to use the visible part of the Universe to unveil its dark side.

Research Fields

  • Hydro-Dynamical Cosmological Simulations of Galaxy Formation
  • Nbody and Hydro Simulations of Non-Standard Dark Energy Models
  • Nbody and Hydro Simulations of Different Dark Matter Models (WDM, WCDM, etc.)
  • Galaxy - Dark Matter Connection
  • Numerical Modeling of Feedback Processes
  • Gravitational Lensing
  • Simulations of Galaxy Mergers and Galactic Dynamics 

Research Team

Researchers Title
Andrea V. Macciò Principle Investigator
Marvin Blank
Research Associate
Keri L. Dixon Research Associate
Mario Pasquato Research Associate (CAP3)
Matteo Nori Postdoctoral Associate
Moaz Abdelmaguid PhD Student
Changhyun Cho PhD Student
Zehao Jin PhD Student
Stefan Waterval PhD Student
Nadine Soliman Post-Graduation Research Fellow
Harper Cho Undergraduate Capstone Student
Sana Elgamal Undergraduate Capstone Student
Kacper Lecki Undergraduate Capstone Student