The research of the computational astrophysics group at the USM is focussed on dynamical processes in galaxies, related to galaxy formation and evolution, the evolution of the interstellar medium and star and planet formation. Using different numerical methods and codes, coupled with special hardware connected to local PC clusters for fast computations we explore the complex non-linear evolution of gas in galaxies and its condensation into dense molecular clouds and stars. We explore the collapse of protostellar clumps and cores, the formation of protostellar disks and their condensation into planets. On larger scales we investigate galaxy-galaxy interactions including dark matter, stars and gas and study the morphological transitions of galaxies and the origin of their spheroidal components.
Research fields for which PhD projects are offered:
- Origin of very old, massive elliptical galaxies
- The cosmological angular momentum problem
- The origin of turbulence in the interstellar medium
- Formation of clumpy, turbulent molecular clouds
- Formation of stellar clusters and disruption of molecular clouds
- Origin and evolution of stellar disks around massive black holes in the centers of galaxies
- Evolution of protoplanetary disks and their condensation into brown dwarfs and massive planets
For more details visit the homepage