RUI: Numerical Simulation of Planetary Rings with Nearby Moons

AST-0607514LewisDr. 刘易斯目前参与模拟土星环系统的各个方面，并正在开发一个通用的数据分析和可视化工具。 这些模拟的结果将有助于解释卡西尼号的观测结果，并提供对土星环系统的一般理解。 这些模拟将包括恩克间隙，基勒间隙，F环和各种密度波周围的区域。由于与附近卫星的相互作用，这些系统的动力学是复杂的。有一个坚实的基础，良好的索引模拟提取数据将显着增加我们对这些系统的理解。该奖项将用于使两名学生参与行星环动力学的数值研究以及用于这些研究的代码的增强。该项目的成果将对行星科学领域产生若干更广泛的影响。它将增加可以分析的行星环系统的高分辨率数值模拟的数量，从而更好地了解系统的动力学。它将提高整个行星科学界可用工具的质量，并改进模拟数据在该界的传播。 该奖项是在NSF本科院校研究项目的赞助下颁发的。*

AST-0607514LewisDr. Lewis is currently involved in the simulation of various aspects of the Saturnian ring system and is working on a general data analysis and visualization tool. The results of these simulations will aid in interpreting Cassini observations and providing a general understanding of the Saturnian ring system. These simulations will include the regions around the Encke gap, the Keeler gap, the F ring, and various density waves. The dynamics of these systems are complex because of the interactions with nearby moons. Having a solid base of well indexed simulations to pull data from will significantly increase our understanding of these systems. This award will be used to involve two students in numerical investigations of planetary ring dynamics and the enhancements of codes used for these investigations. The results of the project will have a number of broader impacts on the field of planetary science. It will boost the number of high resolution numerical simulations of planetary ring systems that can be analyzed, resulting in a better understanding of the dynamics of the system. It will improve the quality of the tools available to the planetary science community as a whole and improve distribution of simulation data in that community. This award is made under the auspices of the Research at Undergraduate Institutions program at the NSF.***