Contents
 
Introduction
New Pedagogy
Models and Simulations
Gravitational Simulation
Galaxy Models
Modeling Galaxy Interactions
Modification of Gravity Model
Simulation Software
Summary and Conclusions
 
 
Videos
 
Collisions
Singles
 
 
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Full PDF Text
Source Codes
Extended Abstract
 
 
Related project: The Art of Computational Science
 

How to start with galaxy dynamics computer simulations.


by Jakub Schwarzmeier

University of West Bohemia in Pilsen
Department of General Physics
April 2007


This work describes the self-teaching educational-research project involving many-body computer simulations with the objective of studying galaxy dynamics. This self-teaching project guides a student through numerical models and computer simulations of galaxy dynamics in detail. It shows the numerical construction of near-equilibrium galaxy models and how these artificial galaxies are evolved. Evolution is based on the Barnes-Hut algorithm and space division with a three-dimensional Hilbert’s curve generated by a geometry-based technique. The educational-research part of this project shows how to simulate the evolution of the Milky Way galaxy, the Large and Small Magellanic Clouds and all of the 19 known satellite galaxies of the Milky Way, including recently discovered ones. A future evolution of the Local Group is simulated in the collision of two disk galaxies representing Andromeda galaxy (M31) and the Milky Way galaxy; Galaxy harassment is also briefly explored. Modified Newtonian Dynamics simulation as a possible rival of dark matter is described. Models were evolved for up to 8.1 billion years.

e-mail: "Jakub.Schwarzmeier at gmail.com"