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| Paper: |
Machine Learning from Cosmological Simulations to Identify
Distant Galaxy Mergers |
| Volume: |
523, Astronomical Data Analysis Software and Systems XXVIII |
| Page: |
111 |
| Authors: |
Snyder, G. F. |
| Abstract: |
I describe efforts to blend cosmological simulations with surveys of distant galaxies. In particular, I will discuss our work to create and interpret millions of synthetic images derived from the Illustris project, a recent large hydrodynamic simulation effort. Recently, we showed that because galaxies assembled so rapidly, distant mergers are more common than the simplest arguments imply. Further, we improved image-based merger diagnostics by training many-dimensional ensemble learning classifiers using the simulated images and known merger events. By applying these results to data from the CANDELS multi-cycle treasury program, we measured a high galaxy merger rate in the early universe in broad agreement with theory, an important test of our cosmological understanding. |
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