Fully cosmological virtual massive galaxies at z=0: kinematical,
  morphological, and stellar population characterisation
  We present the results of a numerical adaptive mesh refinement hydrodynamical
and N-body simulation in a $\Lambda CDM$ cosmology. We focus on the analysis of
the main properties of massive galaxies ($M_* > 10^{11}\,M_{\odot}$) at $z=0$.
For all the massive virtual galaxies we carry out a careful study of their one
dimensional density, luminosity, velocity dispersion, and stellar population
profiles. In order to best compare with observational data, the method to
estimate the velocity dispersion is calibrated by using an approach similar to
that performed in the observations, based on the stellar populations of the
simulated galaxies. With these ingredients, we discuss the different properties
of massive galaxies in our sample according to their morphological types,
accretion histories and dynamical properties. We find that the galaxy merging
history is the leading actor in shaping the massive galaxies that we see
nowadays. Indeed, galaxies having experienced a turbulent life are the most
massive in the sample and show the steepest metallicity gradients. Beside the
importance of merging, only a small fraction of the final stellar mass has been
formed ex-situ (10-50%), while the majority of the stars formed within the
galaxy. These accreted stars are significantly older and less metallic than the
stars formed in-situ and tend to occupy the most external regions of the
galaxies.
