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Cosmological simulations are power houses to understand the formation of structures through cosmic time, from the largest collapsed structures of galaxy clusters to individual galaxies, from early redshifts as high as z=10 to present day. However, comparisons to observations at different times are needed to test the accuracy of the implemented models, and to connect the observables at varying redshifts to the evolution pathways of structures. Using one of the largest state-of-the-art hydrodynamical cosmological simulation suites, Magneticum Pathfinder, we analyze how structure formation is imprinted in present-day properties. Starting with the evolution of the earliest quenched galaxies and protoclusters, we show that they evolve into a large range of halos at present day, and only rarely into the most massive clusters observed at low redshifts. Using present-day properties as a lens into the past, we demonstrate that some of the best tracers of formation pathways are the substructures, the presence of shells, streams, and satellite planes around galaxies, and the central kinematics of galaxies. The latter can even be used to infer the fractions of accreted stars, which we find to be much more difficult when employing radial stellar density distributions. We will take you on a journey to explore galaxy formation from the highest to lowest redshifts, connecting to observations from JWST, MAGPIE, and SAMI. |
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