Numerical simulations of non-equilibrium plasmas and their spectra - extensions to the molecular environs of AGN & Starburst Galaxies

AST-0908877 Gary Ferland该奖项将支持光谱合成代码“多云”的继续开发。Cloudy是一个广泛使用的天体物理建模程序，用于模拟非平衡气体的微观物理，确定其微观特性，并预测产生的光谱。 它被用来理解从形成云的星星到活跃星系核心的整个范围内的天文物体的光谱，每年有100多篇科学论文承认它的使用。 Ferland博士最近扩展了该计划，包括从完全分子到完全电离的状态，并对H2，H I，He I，其他离子和尘埃排放进行了全面治疗。 在此期间，将实施额外的改进，包括原子和分子物理学的数据库驱动框架，这将扩大光谱中可以建模的物种数量，各种基础设施的变化，以允许并行处理和新的辐射传输方法。 代码基础设施的变化也是允许3D模拟的长期努力的第一步。 所有这些改进将大大增强这一重要软件工具的能力。Ferland博士继续在整个项目中参与初级研究人员，该奖项有助于支持博士后学者，在建模等离子体和辐射传输方面的培训。 具有这种技能的有才华的科学家对于解释来自当前和未来地面和空间观测站的日益详细的天文数据至关重要。

AST-0908877Gary FerlandThis award will support the continued development of the spectral synthesis code "Cloudy." Cloudy is a widely used astrophysical modeling program used to simulate the microphysics of a non-equilibrium gas, determine its microscopic properties, and predict the resulting spectrum. It is used to understand spectra from astronomical objects over the whole range from star forming clouds to the cores of active galaxies, with over a hundred scientific papers per year acknowledging its use. Dr. Ferland has recently expanded the program to include states from fully molecular to fully ionized with comprehensive treatments of H2, H I, He I, other ions, and dust emission. During this award, additional improvements will be implemented, including a database driven framework for atomic and molecular physics which will expand the number of species that can be modeled in the spectra, various infrastructure changes to permit parallel processing and new radiative transfer methods. The code infrastructure changes are also the first steps in a longer-term effort to allow 3D simulations. All of these improvements will greatly enhance the capabilities of this important software tool.Dr. Ferland continues to involve junior researchers throughout this project, and this award helps to support a postdoctoral scholar, training in modeling plasmas and radiative transfer. Talented scientists with such skills are critical to interpreting the increasingly detailed astronomical data coming from current and future ground- and space-based observatories.