
Associate Professor, Department of Physics
Carnegie Mellon University
Cosmological simulations
March 29, 2008, 2:30 p.m., 3305 Newell-Simon Hall
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Abstract

Cosmology is the science that studies the Universe in its entirety. Over
large distances the universe can be approximated as being homogeneous and
isotropic and solutions to Einstein's field equations provide a clear
description for its overall evolution. However the universe is filled with
a
rich hierarchy of structures, from planets and black holes to individual
galaxies and groups to clusters of galaxies up to the largest scale
filamentary superclusters.
Many of the advances in our understanding of cosmic structure have come
from direct computer modeling. In cosmology, we need to develop computer
simulations that cover this vast dynamic range of spatial and time scales:
we need to include the effect of gravitational fields generated by (dark
matter in) superclusters of galaxies on the formation of galaxies,
which in turn harbor gas that cools and makes stars and is being funneled
into supermassive blackholes the size of the solar system.
Computational cosmology, simulating the entire universe, represents
perhaps the most challenging application of computational thinking. I will
present recent and upcoming work towards this end.