Numerical simulations of non-equilibrium plasmas and their spectra - applications to star-forming regions

我们对宇宙的化学和物理演化的理解大部分来自对星际气体产生的光谱线的分析。这个项目是对一系列恒星形成环境的同时攻击，从附近的电离氢区域延伸到超明亮的红外星系和发光类星体，共同的主题是开发绘制其物理和化学演化所需的理论工具。它的中心是大规模等离子体模拟代码Cloudy的开发和应用，这是一个多管齐下的努力，结合了等离子体模拟、数值辐射输运理论和原子和分子物理学。我们的目标是建立对控制我们所观察到的基本物理的理论理解，将现有的成功框架扩展到日益复杂的环境中。云是公开可用的，并且每年有100多篇论文（其中许多是其他大学学生的博士论文）使用它，这一事实产生了更广泛的影响。首席研究员每年还要指导几名研究生。在一个向学生和公众开放的天文台里，包含了这项研究的各个方面的项目被展示出来。

AST-0607028FerlandMuch of our understanding of the chemical and physical evolution of the universe comes from the analysis of spectral lines produced by interstellar gas. This project is a simultaneous attack on a range of star-forming environments, extending from nearby regions of ionized hydrogen to ultra-luminous infrared galaxies and luminous quasars, with the common theme of developing the theoretical tools needed to chart their physical and chemical evolution. It centers on the development and application of the large-scale plasma simulation code Cloudy, a multi-pronged effort that combines plasma simulations, numerical radiative transport theory, and atomic and molecular physics. The goal is to establish a theoretical understanding of the underlying physics that governs what we observe, extending the existing successful framework to increasingly complex environments.Strong broader impact comes from the fact that Cloudy is openly available and is used by others in more than 100 papers each year (many of them the doctoral theses of students at other universities). The principal investigator also supervises several graduate students each year. Programs incorporating aspects of this research are presented at an observatory open to students and to the public.