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

AST-0908877加里·费兰该奖项将支持光谱合成代码“Cloudy”的继续开发。Cloudy是一种广泛使用的天体物理模拟程序，用于模拟非平衡气体的微物理，确定其微观性质，并预测产生的光谱。它被用来理解从恒星形成云到活动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用途。费兰德博士最近扩大了该计划，通过对氢、氢、氦、其他离子和粉尘排放的综合治疗，将状态从完全分子扩展到完全电离。在这一奖项期间，将实施其他改进，包括原子和分子物理的数据库驱动框架，该框架将扩大可在光谱中建模的物种数量，允许并行处理的各种基础设施改变，以及新的辐射传输方法。代码基础设施的改变也是允许3D模拟的长期努力的第一步。所有这些改进将极大地增强这一重要软件工具的能力。费兰德继续让初级研究人员参与整个项目，该奖项有助于支持一名博士后学者在等离子体建模和辐射转移方面的培训。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天基天文台的越来越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.