Forming the First Massive Black Holes

在大爆炸后的第一个十亿年内，超大质量黑洞的存在是一个谜。本项目将探讨一种拟议的形成途径。该项目将使用计算机建模来模拟早期宇宙中冷气体云直接坍缩形成较小黑洞的过程，并将追踪这些种子黑洞演变为较大超大质量黑洞的过程。该项目将在其模型中纳入辐射与早期宇宙中物质的相互作用，并将跟踪早期暗物质晕到再电离时期的动力学。这些模型将用于确定这一过程的观测特征，以便用今后的观测加以检验。该项目将支持一名来自哥伦比亚大桥项目的学士后学生参与他们的研究，并将重组一门计算建模的研究生课程。该项目将使用ENZO，一个包含辐射传递的高分辨率3D流体动力学代码，来模拟原子冷却晕分裂和坍缩成超大质量恒星或直接进入种子黑洞的过程。该项目将包括辐射反馈对暗物质晕内冷气体云的增长和坍缩的影响。他们的模拟结果将用于预测这种黑洞种子场景的电磁特征，这将为未来的观测提供信息。项目团队将从哥伦比亚桥梁项目中招募一名学士后学生，他将直接参与研究，并接受主要研究者的指导。其中一名研究人员将修改他现有的天体物理计算建模研究生课程，以更好地包括在计算准备方面有很大差异的学生。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并被认为值得通过使用基金会的智力价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估来支持。

The existence of supermassive black holes within the first billion years after the big bang is a puzzle. This project will explore one proposed pathway to their formation. The project will use computer modeling to simulate the formation of smaller black holes from the direct collapse of cold gas clouds in the early universe and will trace the evolution of these seed black holes into the larger supermassive black holes. The project will incorporate the interaction of radiation with the matter in the early universe in their models and will follow the dynamics of early dark matter halos to the epoch of reionization. The models will be used to determine observational signatures of this process so that it can be tested with future observations. The project will support a post-baccalaureate student from the Columbia Bridge program within their research and will restructure a graduate course on computational modeling.The project will use ENZO, a high-resolution 3D hydrodynamic code that incorporates radiative transfer, to model the fragmentation and collapse of atomic-cooling halos into supermassive stars or directly into seed black holes. The project will include the effects of radiative feedback into the growth and collapse of cold gas clouds within dark matter halos. The results of their simulations will be used to make predictions for electromagnetic signatures of this black-hole seed scenario that will inform future observations. The project team will recruit a post-baccalaureate student from the Columbia Bridge program, who will be directly included in the research and who will receive mentoring by the principal investigators. One of the investigators will modify his existing graduate course in astrophysical computational modeling to better include students with a wide variation in computational preparation.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.