Simulating galaxy formation in f(R) modified gravity: matter, halo, and galaxy statistics

ABSTRACT We present an analysis of the matter, halo, and galaxy clustering in f(R)-gravity employing the SHYBONE full-physics hydrodynamical simulation suite. Our analysis focuses on the interplay between baryonic feedback and f(R)-gravity in the matter power spectrum, the matter and halo correlation functions, the halo and galaxy–host–halo mass function, the subhalo and satellite–galaxy count, and the correlation function of the stars in our simulations. Our studies of the matter power spectrum in full-physics simulations in f(R)-gravity show that it will be very difficult to derive accurate fitting formulae for the power spectrum enhancement in f(R)-gravity which include baryonic effects. We find that the enhancement of the halo mass function due to f(R)-gravity and its suppression due to feedback effects do not show significant back-reaction effects and can thus be estimated from independent general relativity-hydro and f(R) dark matter only simulations. Our simulations furthermore show that the number of subhaloes and satellite-galaxies per halo is not significantly affected by f(R)-gravity. Low-mass haloes are nevertheless more likely to be populated by galaxies in f(R)-gravity. This suppresses the clustering of stars and the galaxy correlation function in the theory compared to standard cosmology.