My new paper, One Two Quench: A Minor Merger Scenario is hot off the presses! Come read about the quenching of a MW-mass galaxy thru the interaction of two *minor* mergers (q > 3) in a set of sims run with the N-body+SPH code, ChaNGa. http://arxiv.org/abs/2009.05581 
A science (1/8)

First, a shoutout to my awesome team of co-authors: @MichaelTremmel @werkjess @apontzen Tom Quinn, Charlotte Christensen, @sloebman @Quantumplation_. Part of fabulous @theNbodyShop (2/8)

We explore an initial “Patient 0” Milky Way-mass galaxy with an LMC mass satellite at z = 0. After progressively modifying (shrinking) the mass of the LMC satellite in subsequent simulations, we end up with a total of 4 genetically modified (GM) galaxies. (3/8)

These 4 GM galaxies (w/ P0) have nearly identical initial conditions plus constrained large scale structure & final halo mass. However the baryonic evolution of these galaxies varies significantly by z=0: 2 galaxies remain star forming disks & 2 become quenched ellipticals. (4/8)

In addition to the modified LMC-mass satellite, each GM galaxy experiences a series of minor mergers around z=1. Due to the constraints of the GM process, the timing and sequence of the these mergers are the key difference between the quenched and star forming (SF) cases. (5/8)

Specifically, in the quenched cases, a pair of minor merger interactions directly proceed the peak in SMBH accretion & the large outflow at z~1 within a few 100 Myrs. In the SF case, the interactions occur over a longer time, a different order, & have no associated outflow. (6/8)

The interaction of these satellites in the quenched cases, a minor merger followed by the secondary satellite’s flyby, works to disrupt the disk of the main galaxy and fuel the SMBH. (7/8)

“In short, to quench these galaxies, the combination of fuel given to the SMBH by satellite 1 & the disruption of the main galaxy’s disk by both satellite’s interactions results in SMBH-driven outflows strong enough to quench the galaxy until z = 0. “ -Sanchez+2020, submitted