Metal-loaded outflows in sub-Milky Way galaxies in the CIELO simulations
Abstract
Supernova (SN) feedback-driven galactic outflows are a key physical process that contributes to the baryon cycle by regulating the star formation activity, reducing the amount of metals in low-mass galaxies and enriching the circumgalactic (CGM) and intergalactic media (IGM). We aim to understand the chemical loop of sub-Milky Way (MW) galaxies and their nearby regions. We studied 15 simulated central sub-MW galaxies (M* <= 1010 Msun) and intermediate-mass galaxies (M* 1010 Msun) from the CIELO-P7 high-resolution simulations. We followed the evolution of the progenitor galaxies, their properties and the characteristics of the outflows within the redshift range z = [0, 7]. We used two dynamically-motivated outflow definitions, unbound outflows and expelled mass rates, to quantify the impact of SN feedback. At z 0, sub-MW galaxies have a larger fraction of their current oxygen mass in the gas phase but have expelled a greater portion beyond the virial radius, compared to their higher-mass counterparts. Galaxies with M* < 109 Msun have 10-40 per cent of their total oxygen mass within R200 in the CGM, and an equivalent to 10-60 per cent expelled into the IGM. In contrast, more massive galaxies have most of the oxygen mass locked by the stellar populations. The CGM of low-mass galaxies predominantly contains oxygen low-temperature gas, acting as a metal reservoir. We find that the outflows are more oxygen-rich for sub-MW galaxies, Zout/ZISM 1.5, than for higher-mass galaxies, Zout/ZISM <= 0.5, particularly for z < 2. Mass-loading factors of etaout 0 - 6 are detected in agreement with observations (abridged).
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