CAREER: Simulating the Universe from the Bottom Up

AST-0133617卫斯理大学Kathryn Johnston博士约翰斯顿被授予资金，在康涅狄格州米德尔敦的卫斯理大学建立一个星系结构、形成和演化的研究项目。她的方法侧重于使用星系的低表面亮度特征作为引力势的示踪剂。这项工作将使用引力N体模拟来测试和理解这些低表面亮度特征形成的分析和半分析模型，并开发解释观测的新方法。约翰斯顿博士的理论研究小组将与观察小组合作进行解释。该小组还将与宇宙学家合作，将单个星系的结果置于星系形成的更广泛背景下。研究计划的各个方面将通过为开始研究的学生开发基于网络的教程，融入卫斯理大学的教育使命。这些教程随后将被用作计算天体物理学课程的基础，该课程自然适合该大学目前正在开发的计算科学跨学科证书课程。

AST- 0133617Wesleyan UniversityKathryn JohnstonDr. Johnston is awarded funds to establish a research program in the structure, formation, and evolution of galaxies at Wesleyan University in Middletown, Connecticut. Her approach focuses on using low-surface-brightness features of galaxies as tracers of the gravitational potential. The work will use gravitational N-body simulations to test and understand analytical and semi-analytical models of the formation of these low-surface-brightness features, and develop new methods of interpreting observations. Dr. Johnston's theoretical research group will collaborate with observational groups to carry out the interpretations. The group will also collaborate with cosmologists to place the results on individual galaxies in the broader context of galaxy formation in general. Aspects of the research program will be integrated into the educational mission of Wesleyan University by developing web-based tutorials for beginning research students. These tutorials will subsequently be used as a basis for a course in computational astrophysics that fits naturally into a cross-disciplinary certificate program in computational science currently under development at the university.