Physical Models of Galaxy Formation in a Cosmological Framework

Modeling galaxy formation in a cosmological context presents one of the greatest challenges in astrophysics today due to the vast range of scales and numerous physical processes involved. Here we review the current status of models that employ two leading techniques to simulate the physics of galaxy formation: semianalytic models and numerical hydrodynamic simulations. We focus on a set of observational targets that describe the evolution of the global and structural properties of galaxies from roughly cosmic high noon (z ∼ 2–3) to the present. Although minor discrepancies remain, overall, models show remarkable convergence among different methods and make predictions that are in qualitative agreement with…