Modelling the formation of cosmic structure

了解宇宙结构的形成，从早期的第一颗恒星到附近宇宙中丰富的星系和星系团，推动了当代天文学的许多方面。最近对宇宙早期遗留的微波辐射的观测严格限制了这些结构生长的微小初始密度波动的形式。我的研究重点是宇宙演化的关键数值模型，这些模型将这些最初的宇宙涟漪与目前观察到的宇宙种群联系起来。尽管控制物理学很简单，但存在的巨大尺度范围以及复杂的引力和流体动力学相互作用意味着详细的预测需要数字模拟提供的不可或缺的实验实验室。

Understanding the formation of cosmic structure, from the first stars at early epochs to the rich array of galaxies and galaxy clusters in the nearby universe, drives many aspects of contemporary astronomy. Recent observations of the relic microwave radiation from early in the universe tightly constrain the form of the tiny initial density fluctuations out of which these structures grew. My research focusses on the critical numerical models of cosmic evolution that connect these initial cosmic ripples with presently observed cosmic populations. Despite simple governing physics, the huge range of scales present and complex gravitational and hydrodynamic interactions means that detailed predictions require the indispensable experimental laboratory provided by numerical simulation.