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Figures, Extinction, and SKIRT

The figure pipeline should make the simulation selection reproducible: every caption or metadata record should include halo, snapshot/redshift, resolution, centering method, aperture, projection depth, weighting, and enabled physics.

Extinction and \(R_V\)

The extinction analysis uses each dust particle's radius and carbon fraction with the adopted graphite/carbonaceous and astrosilicate optical tables. Spatial maps and radial profiles should be compared with gas and recent-star formation maps to distinguish processing, transport, and geometry.

SKIRT exports

Two complementary exports are maintained:

  • export_skirt_inputs_MRN.py provides a fixed-distribution control;
  • export_skirt_inputs_sizebins.py preserves the simulated grain-size and composition information.

Generate SKIRT configurations with generate_ski.py and inspect outputs with plot_skirt_sed.py and plot_images.py.

For every SKIRT run, archive:

  • source snapshot and halo center;
  • stellar and dust apertures;
  • camera orientation and distance;
  • wavelength grid;
  • grain-size/composition binning;
  • optical tables and stochastic-heating settings;
  • random seed and photon-package count; and
  • whether the run used simulated grains or the MRN control.

Changes in SED shape can arise from grain physics, total dust abundance, or star–dust geometry. Compare controlled exports before attributing a difference to composition alone.