The release is described in a paper submitted to the journal Astronomy and Computing on April 28 and published simultaneously as a preprint.
Cosmological simulations are fundamental tools in modern astronomy. They trace how matter has evolved since the Big Bang, from small density fluctuations in the early Universe to the galaxies and vast interconnected structures visible today. On the largest scales, matter is organized into the cosmic web, a network of filaments and nodes along which galaxies are distributed. By comparing simulation outputs with observational data, researchers can probe fundamental questions about dark matter and dark energy - the invisible components that account for most of the Universe and drive its accelerating expansion.
The FLAMINGO project was specifically designed to bridge two traditionally separate regimes in cosmological research: highly detailed simulations of galaxy formation physics, and the enormous cosmic volumes needed for precision cosmology. Precision cosmology aims to map the Universe to percent-level accuracy in order to rigorously test theoretical models of its origin and evolution.
While related initiatives such as COLIBRE, also led by Leiden researchers, concentrate on the physics operating within individual galaxies, FLAMINGO simulates volumes spanning billions of light-years. That scope allows the team to study not only individual galaxies but also galaxy clusters and the large-scale structure of the Universe as a whole.
"These simulations allow us to follow the growth of cosmic structure across vast regions of space, while still modelling the complex physics of galaxy formation," said Joop Schaye of Leiden University, who leads the FLAMINGO project. "By making the data publicly available, we hope researchers worldwide will use FLAMINGO to test new ideas about how the Universe works."
The underlying calculations were performed using the SWIFT cosmological simulation code running on the COSMA8 supercomputer at Durham University in the United Kingdom. Generating simulations at this scale demands computing infrastructure that most research groups cannot access independently.
"Most researchers simply do not have access to facilities like this," said Carlos Frenk of Durham University. "That is precisely why we believe it is important to make these data openly available."
To make the archive practical for users who do not need the full dataset, the team developed a dedicated online platform allowing researchers to explore and selectively download only the subsets relevant to their work, avoiding the need to handle multi-petabyte files directly.
"We want to lower the barrier to entry as much as possible," said John Helly of Durham University, who led the development of the access system. "This way, a much broader community can work with these simulations."
Since the FLAMINGO simulations were first introduced in 2023, they have already been used in dozens of published studies covering topics including galaxy formation mechanisms and the large-scale distribution of matter. With the full public data release, the team anticipates enabling a substantially wider range of discoveries across the astrophysics community.
"Open access to datasets of this scale can significantly accelerate scientific progress," said Matthieu Schaller of Leiden University. "We aim to provide a resource that will support a wide range of astrophysical research."
The release is intended as a step toward open and collaborative cosmology, giving researchers worldwide a new resource for investigating how the Universe has evolved from its earliest moments to the present day.
Research Report:The FLAMINGO simulations data release
Related Links
Astronomy at Leiden University
Understanding Time and Space
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