Chemo-dynamical Simulations of Galaxies
(Kobayashi)
We are simulating the evolutionary history of the Universe across cosmic time using a self-consistent 3D hydrodynamical code (Kobayashi et al. 2007). This code is based on Gadget-3, where the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) method is used to describe the hydrodynamics. We also include detailed physical processes undergone by atomic matter: namely, star formation, supernova feedback, and chemical enrichment from core-collapse and thermonuclear supernovae, and AGB stars (Kobayashi 2004; Kobayashi et al. 2011). These simulations are capable of comparison with observations of nearby and distant galaxies.
AGN feedback - Feedback from active-galactic nuclei (AGN) is also important in quenching star formation in massive galaxies and in matching the galaxy luminosity function (Croton et al. 2004). Blackholes grow though gas accretion and merging of blackholes, ejecting thermal and/or kinetic energy back into their surroundings, which in turn results in negative/positive feedback to star formation. We are developing a new AGN model to reproduce the observed blackhole mass relation (Magorrian et al. 1998) and quasars at very high redshift (z=7, Mortlock et al. 2011). AGN Feedback will possibly explain the observed down-sizing effect (Cowie et al. 1996) that looks to be in conflict with the hierarchical clustering scenario of the standard cosmology.
The origin of elements - Chemodynamical simulations are built to trace the origin of elements in the Universe -- a process that has a clear connection with the origins of life.
To study these effectively, large scale of simulations with a large volume and high resolution are required. For this, we have access to a local Linux cluster with ~1000 cores and the Legion supercomputer at UCL of the Miracle Consortium.