Peta-Cosmology: galaxy formation and virtual astronomy

本提案是关于预定于2011年投入运行的蓝色沃茨计算机系统的临时时间分配，以及支持与蓝色沃茨项目小组进行技术协调的差旅费，该项目将利用蓝色沃茨根据基本物理学对星系形成和宇宙演化进行数值模拟，（a）将用一套新的地基和天基宇宙学数据集进行测试，（B）将用作训练集，以确定下一代超大型宇宙学观测实验的参数。 将使用两种不同的从头计算宇宙学模拟程序，Enzo和一种新的程序，Hydro Tree Particle Mesh（HTPM），它在现有的树粒子网格程序上增加了光滑粒子流体动力学。模拟结果将用于研究恒星质量为M_⋆ 10^9 M_Solar的星系，计算星星形成和质量组装历史，量化z = 0& #8722; 10.使用模拟输出构建光锥数据，计算星系数计数，并提供了星系团的详细预测及其作为光度，颜色和环境的函数的演化。 该项目的目的是确定星系何时以及如何形成，以及它们在早期宇宙中如何演化。该项目将包括本科生和研究生研究人员，并将产生壮观的可视化效果，用于公共宣传和宇宙学教育。

This proposal is for a provisional allocation of time on the Blue Waters computer system, due to become operational in 2011, and for travel funds to support technical coordination with the Blue Waters project team.The project will use Blue Waters to make numerical simulations of galaxy formation and the evolution of the universe, based on fundamental physics, that (a) will be tested against a suite of cosmological data-sets from new ground and space based, (b) will be used as a training set to define the parameters of the next generation of very large cosmological observational experiments. Two different ab initio cosmological simulation codes will be used, Enzo and a new code, Hydro Tree Particle Mesh (HTPM), that adds smooth particle hydrodynamics to an existing tree particle mesh code.The simulation output will be used to study galaxies with stellar masses M_⋆ 10^9 M_Solar, computing star formation and mass assembly history, quantifying luminosity functions and colors in various bands at z = 0 − 10, constructing light-cone data using the simulation output, computing galaxy number counts, and providing detailed predictions of galaxy clustering and its evolution as functions of luminosity, color and environment. The purpose of this is to determine when and how galaxies form, and how they evolved in the early universe.The project will include undergraduate and graduate researchers, and will produce spectacular visualizations that will be used for public outreach and education in cosmology.