A number of masters projects and colloquia subjects are possible, in connection
with on-going projects in the
Numerical Astrophysics
group. For more detailed information, contact
one
of us for a discussion .
Here are the main areas, and the corresponding questions that the projects
could address:
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Hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics of jets from newborne stars, and /
or from AGNs. Current questions include: What determines the distribution
of the background magnetic field in the accretion disc, and what is the
consquence for the collimation of the jet? What is the role of
magnetic instabilities - are global ones such as kinks destructive? Are
local ones that lead to dissipation stabilizing? What determines the
"mass loading" of the jet?
Contacts: Åke Nordlund,
Rachid Ouyed
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Hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics near black holes: e.g., construction
and visualization of self-consistent numerical solutions of "collapsars"
/ "hypernovae" - rapidly accreting black holes resulting from the collapse
of high mass stars. This is a very "hot" research topic, where we have a
chance to advance right up to the forefront of GRB research.
Contacts: Åke Nordlund,
Axel Brandenburg,
Rachid Ouyed
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Numerical MHD simulations of conditions similar to those in cold molecular
clouds. Current questions: What controls the distribution of the mass
of newborn stars (the Initial Mass Function)? How does it scale with physical
conditions? What was it like in the early Universe? In star burst galaxies?
Again a very hot topic, where we already are at the forefront :-!
Contacts: Åke Nordlund,
Paolo Padoan
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Coupled magnetohydrodynamic and particle simulations of galaxy clusters and
cooling flows in galactic halos. Current questions: What are the fundamental
properties of cooling flows? How intermittent are they? What is required
to get the "right" angular momentum of newborne galaxies, and what are the
implications for cosmological models? What is the importancy or not of
intermittency / clumping in the galactic cooling flows?
Contact: Åke Nordlund
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Interstellar turbulence is mot likely ultimately driven by supernovae explosions.
Can direct comparisons with observatoinal diagnostics be made? How does the
"cascade" of energy work, down to cold molecular clouds, where stars are
borne. What is the role of galactic "chimneys" and "worms"? What
are the high velocity clouds - fall-back or primordial cooling flow?
Contacts: Åke Nordlund,
Axel Brandenburg
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Investigations of self sustained, magnetically driven turbulence in accretion
disks. There are many questions, e.g. about the nature of the
dynamo action, the dissipation, and radiative energy transfer and diagnostics.
Here is an area where the near future will see direct comparisons between
"synthetic observations" (diagnostics from numerical models) and real
observations.
Contacts:
Axel Brandenburg, Åke
Nordlund, Ulf
Torkelsson
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How is externally imposed work dissipated in an MHD plasma? For
example; how are accretion disc coronae heated, and how is the solar corona
heated?
Contacts: Åke Nordlund,
Klaus Galsgaard
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Fundamental questions about the spontaneous creation of magnetic fields in
astrophysical plasmas. What are the topological mechanisms responsible
for dynamo action?
Contacts:
Åke Nordlund,
Axel Brandenburg
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The structure of convection in stars, and its interaction with stellar
oscillations. What is the nature of the driving and damping of stellar
oscillations?
Contacts:
Åke
Nordlund, Bob Stein,
Jørgen Christensen-Dalsgaard
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Fundamental questions about the nature of turbulence and magneto-turbulence.
Contacts:
Åke
Nordlund