Collaborative Research: Exploring the impact of cosmic ray feedback on galaxy evolution

天文学家试图了解星系是如何形成和演化的。巨大的物质丝在重力作用下聚合成星系。然而，来自内部的未知力量以星系风的形式排出气体。Ruszkowski和他的合作者试图了解这种缺失的力量是否可以由宇宙射线提供。通过计算机模拟，他们将研究宇宙射线对银河系风的影响。他们将确定宇宙射线是否为这些风提供了足够的力量，以完全将物质从星系中驱逐出去。最后，了解银河系的风能将对我们的发展做出重大贡献。这项研究可能会使我们对星系演化的理解有质的飞跃。这些模拟的结果将被用于令人惊叹的天文馆动画。这样的可视化吸引了公众，并激励年轻人学习科学。这项研究将探索一系列空间尺度。它将包括对宇宙射线传播的混合动力学模拟，这些宇宙射线围绕孤立的超新星残骸向外延伸到星系盘，最终形成宇宙星系。宇宙射线传输物理将从第一原理开始模拟。星际介质的局部斑块将使用自适应网格细化进行模拟。这些结果将反过来用于开发星系和宇宙形成模拟的亚格子模型。该项目将是对星系形成的第一次大规模研究，包括所有空间尺度上的宇宙射线传输过程。它将为宇宙射线驱动的银河系风的性质提供具体的预测。

Astronomers seek to understand how galaxies formed and evolve. Vast filaments of matter coalesce into galaxies under gravity. However, unknown forces from within expel gas in the form of galactic winds. Ruszkowski and collaborators seek to understand whether this missing force could be provided by cosmic rays. Using computer simulations, they will study effects of cosmic rays on galactic winds. They will determine whether cosmic rays contribute sufficient force to these winds to expel matter from galaxies completely. Finally understanding what powers galactic winds will contribute a major advance. This study may enable a qualitative leap in our understanding of how galaxies evolve. Results of these simulations will be used in stunning planetarium animations. Such visualizations engage the public and inspire young people to study science.This study will probe a range of spatial scales. It will include hybrid kinetic simulations of cosmic ray propagation around isolated supernova remnants out to galactic disks and finally to cosmological galaxy formation. Cosmic-ray transport physics will be simulated from first principles. Local patches of the interstellar medium will be simulated using adaptive mesh refinement. These results in turn will be used to develop sub-grid models for galaxy and cosmological formation simulations. This project will constitute the first large-scale study of galaxy formation to include cosmic-ray transport processes on all spatial scales. It will yield specific predictions for the properties of cosmic-ray driven galactic winds.