Collaborative Research: Simulating Two-Fluid MHD Turbulence in Star Forming Molecular Clouds on the Blue Waters System

合作研究：模拟 Blue Waters 系统上恒星形成分子云中的两流体 MHD 湍流

基本信息

批准号：
1713765
负责人：
Dinshaw Balsara
金额：
$ 2万
依托单位：
University of Notre Dame
依托单位国家：
美国
项目类别：
Standard Grant
财政年份：
2017
资助国家：
美国
起止时间：
2017-06-01 至 2019-05-31
项目状态：
已结题

来源：
https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1713765&HistoricalAwards=false
关键词：
Collaborative Research Simulating Two Fluid

项目摘要

Astrophysics is at the threshold of a new data-rich and simulation-rich era in star-formation studies. The question of how stars form is fascinating in itself and has a great impact on several other areas of astrophysics. There is a general consensus that a predominant amount of star formation in our Galaxy takes place in molecular clouds, and specifically in giant molecular clouds (GMC). Consequently, NASA has made multi-million dollar investments in instruments such as HAWC+ on the SOFIA airborne observatory with the specific goal of understanding the turbulent nature of star forming clouds. This project on Blue Waters will use the petascale capabilities of the system to validate theories of star formation by simulating the same processes the NASA's instruments are currently measuring.This project will carry out simulations on Blue Waters that integrate the ions and the neutrals to reproduce the turbulent, partially ionized gas in which stars form. Since neutral gas does not couple to the magnetic field, but ionized gas do, the project has built frontline simulation capabilities for simulating two-fluid plasmas. Simultaneously, the project has built theoretical and numerical analysis tools that will enable cross-comparison of simulations with observations. This cross-comparison provides important verification of theories of star formation. Further diagnostics that emerge from the simulations will also be used to motivate more detailed observations. In this fashion, Blue Waters will enable theory, computation and detailed observations to support one another. In addition, the project intends to combine education in computational astrophysics with code releases of their simulation tools to the greater astrophysics community.

天体物理学正处于恒星形成研究数据丰富和模拟丰富的新时代的门槛。恒星如何形成的问题本身就很有趣，并且对天体物理学的其他几个领域产生了巨大影响。人们普遍认为，银河系中的大部分恒星形成发生在分子云中，特别是巨分子云（GMC）中。因此，NASA 在索菲亚机载天文台上投资了数百万美元购买 HAWC+ 等仪器，其具体目标是了解恒星形成云的湍流本质。 Blue Waters 上的这个项目将利用该系统的千万亿级能力，通过模拟 NASA 仪器当前测量的相同过程来验证恒星形成理论。该项目将在 Blue Waters 上进行模拟，整合离子和中性粒子以重现恒星形成的过程。恒星形成的湍流、部分电离气体。由于中性气体不会耦合到磁场，但电离气体会耦合，因此该项目建立了用于模拟二流体等离子体的前沿模拟功能。同时，该项目还建立了理论和数值分析工具，可以将模拟与观测结果进行交叉比较。这种交叉比较为恒星形成理论提供了重要的验证。模拟中出现的进一步诊断也将用于激发更详细的观察。通过这种方式，Blue Waters 将使理论、计算和详细观察相互支持。此外，该项目打算将计算天体物理学教育与向更大的天体物理学界发布模拟工具的代码结合起来。