  We propose the Cosmic Web Detachment (CWD) model, a framework to interpret
the star-formation history of galaxies in a cosmological context. The CWD model
unifies several starvation mechanisms known to disrupt or stop star formation
into one single physical framework. Galaxies begin accreting star-forming gas
at early times via a network of primordial filaments, simply related to the
pattern of density fluctuations in the initial conditions. But when
shell-crossing occurs on intergalactic scales, this pattern is disrupted, and
the galaxy detaches from its primordial filaments, ending the accretion of cold
gas. We argue that CWD encompasses known external processes halting star
formation, such as harassment, strangulation and starvation. On top of these
external processes, internal feedback processes such as AGN contribute to stop
in star formation as well.
  By explicitly pointing out the non-linear nature of CWD events we introduce a
simple formalism to identify CWD events in N-body simulations. With it we
reproduce and explain, in the context of CWD, several observations including
downsizing, the cosmic star formation rate history, the galaxy mass-color
diagram and the dependence of the fraction of red galaxies with mass and local
density.
