A Gaia-Enceladus Analog in the EAGLE Simulation: Insights into the Early
  Evolution of the Milky Way
  We identify a simulated Milky Way analog in the EAGLE suite of cosmological
hydrodynamical simulations. This galaxy not only shares similar global
properties as the Milky Way, but was specifically selected because its merger
history resembles that currently known for the Milky Way. In particular we find
that this Milky Way analog has experienced its last significant merger (with a
stellar mass ratio $\sim 0.2$) at $z\sim 1.2$. We show that this merger
affected both the dynamical properties of the stars present at the time,
contributing to the formation of a thick disk, and also leading to a
significant increase in the star formation rate of the host. This object is
thus particularly suitable for understanding the early evolutionary history of
the Milky Way. It is also an ideal candidate for re-simulation with much higher
resolution as this would allow addressing a plethora of interesting questions
such as, for example, the specific distribution of dark matter near the Sun.
