DUSTY-GAEA reproduces dust trends across cosmic time

What the study found: The DUSTY-GAEA galaxy formation model reproduces several observed dust trends across cosmic time, including dust build-up with stellar mass out to redshift z∼6, local-Universe scaling relations involving dust-to-gas and dust-to-metal ratios, and the dust mass function in the local Universe and out to z∼1.
Why the authors say this matters: The authors conclude that observational constraints beyond the local Universe can be matched only if dust growth in the dense interstellar medium (the gas and dust between stars inside galaxies) is assumed to be very efficient. They also say that more observations at high redshift would help constrain dust models.
What the researchers tested: The study introduces a self-consistent dust model within the GAEA galaxy formation framework, including dust formation by stars, destruction by supernova shocks and hot gas, and growth in the dense interstellar medium. The model predictions are compared with observational data and with independent theoretical work.
What worked and what didn't: The model matches the dust build-up versus stellar mass out to z∼6, the local relations between dust-to-gas and dust-to-metal ratios and stellar mass and metallicity, and the dust mass function locally and to z∼1. In the model, dust growth dominates the cosmic dust budget out to z∼8, but reproducing the estimated number densities of dust-rich galaxies at higher redshifts remains challenging.
What to keep in mind: The abstract does not provide detailed quantitative limits or uncertainty ranges. It also notes that matching dust-rich galaxy number densities at higher redshifts remains difficult, and that further high-redshift observations are needed.

Key points

• DUSTY-GAEA reproduces dust build-up versus stellar mass out to redshift z∼6.
• The model matches local-Universe dust-to-gas and dust-to-metal scaling relations.
• It also reproduces the dust mass function in the local Universe and out to z∼1.
• In the model, dust growth dominates the cosmic dust budget out to z∼8.
• Matching dust-rich galaxy number densities at higher redshifts remains challenging.