first student-led paper from our group: radial distribution of satellite galaxies

Radial distance distribution of satellite galaxies around MW-mass galaxies in the FIRE-2 simulations, as compared with the MW and M31

We are excited to announce the first student-led paper from our group, from PhD student Jenna Samuel: A profile in FIRE: resolving the radial distributions of satellite dwarf galaxies in the Local Group with simulations. Jenna examined the radial distance distribution of satellite galaxies around MW/M31-mass galaxies in our FIRE simulations, which she showed are consistent with the Local Group and with MW-like galaxies from the SAGA survey. Interestingly, more massive host galaxies have fewer satellites at small distances, because of tidal destruction from the host galaxy. Jenna also quantified the destruction of subhalos by comparing our baryonic simulations to their dark matter-only versions, finding 10x fewer subhalos within the inner 20 kpc. Finally, Jenna applied observational completeness within the LG to our simulations, predicting 2-10 more satellites with stellar mass > 1e5 Msun to be discovered around the MW and 6-9 around M31. Congratulations to Jenna for an excellent first paper!