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

该合同将支持“多云”光谱合成代码的持续开发。云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，确定其微观性质，并预测结果光谱。它被用来了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，每年有一百多篇科学论文承认它的使用。Ferland博士最近扩大了该计划，包括从完全分子状态到完全电离状态，并对H2， H I, He I，其他离子和粉尘排放进行综合处理。在此期间，将实施额外的改进，包括用于原子和分子物理的数据库驱动框架，该框架将扩大可以在光谱中建模的物种数量，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。代码基础结构的改变也是实现3D模拟的第一步。所有这些改进将极大地增强这一重要软件工具的功能。Ferland继续让初级研究人员参与这个项目，这个奖项有助于支持博士后学者，在等离子体和辐射转移建模方面的培训。具有这种技能的天才科学家对于解释来自当前和未来地面和空间天文台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.