Simulation of a Phase Transition Induced Neutron Star Collapse
Student:
TBD
Mentors:
Sanjay Reddy (INSPIRE-HEP, email: sareddy@uw.edu)
John Stroud (ResearchGate, email: jstroud3@uw.edu)
Prerequisites:
A basic understanding and experience using computers for scientific programming is preferred (Matlab, Python, Mathematica, etc.)
What Students Will Learn:
The student will learn the basics of gravitational wave astronomy and general relativistic hydrodynamics. They will learn to utilize a linux/unix shell to run simulations on a HPC system and they will utilize scripts and write their own scripts to analyze gravitational wave data from the simulations. Students will learn to use modern numerical relativity codes to design and run their own simulations.
Expected Project Length:
1-2 quarters
Project Description:
Neutron stars are among the most extreme objects in the universe, composed of compressed subatomic particles, they pack the same mass as the sun into the size of a city. At such high densities the theory of QCD, which describes nucleons in terms of their constituent quarks and gluons, predicts that nucleons will begin to dissolve into their constituent quarks creating a new phase known as quark matter. However, due to the lack of first principles predictions from QCD we must rely on indirect observations of the phase transition [1].
Neutron stars provide environments which may realize the hadronic to quark matter phase transition, and so through studying their properties we may be able to learn more about the nature of the phase transition. Recent advances in numerical relativity have allowed simulations in full general relativity of neutron stars and the detection of gravitational waves in 2015 have allowed us to better understand dense matter [2]. The goal of this project will be to combine these and perform fully relativistic simulations of a sudden phase transition induced collapse in an isolated neutron star in order to investigate the effects of the phase transition on the resulting gravitational wave signal from a fully relativistic numerical simulation.
During this project the student will gain experience in utilizing high performance computing (HPC) systems to prepare and run simulations and analyzing data from simulations to run modern numerical relativity and hydrodynamic codes. Some basic programming experience with python is preferred but no prior HPC experience is necessary. Students will gain familiarity working in a linux/unix environment. The student will meet regularly with the mentors during the course of the project to assess progress and contribute to the students overall success.
References:
[1] Milva G Orsaria et al 2019 J. Phys. G: Nucl. Part. Phys. 46 073002
[2] Bailes, M., Berger, B.K., Brady, P.R. et al. Gravitational-wave physics and astronomy in the 2020s and 2030s. Nat Rev Phys 3, 344–366 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42254-021-00303-8