Bolshoi simulation

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The cosmological Bolshoi simulation ( Russian bolshoi for "big") was carried out in 2010 on the Pleiades supercomputer at NASA Ames Research Center. It is the most accurate simulation of the development of macrostructures in our cosmos to date . The current Standard Model of the Universe ( ΛCDM ) and data from NASA's Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) team were used for the simulation . Bolshoi's task was to calculate and model the evolution of the dark matter halo in the cosmos, to make the invisible visible and to give the astronomers clues as to where to look for which structures.

The first two of a series of articles on "Bolshoi" were published in 2011 in the Astrophysical Journal . The data are now available to astronomers and astrophysicists.

Basics

A successful simulation is characterized by the fact that its results agree with the observable structures of the universe. Since the Bolshoi simulations are based on the standard model of the universe ΛCDM, consistent results are at the same time a confirmation of the ΛCDM approach, from which the dynamics of galactic movements and the history of the universe emerge and which shows future research paths. The Bolshoi simulation is not the first such simulation (see Millennium simulation ), but astrophysicists believe that it is the one that best corresponds to the actual structures. The millennium simulations carried out in 2005 ff. Used older data from WMAP, which are now considered obsolete. The result showed discrepancies between the Millennium results and actual observations, e.g. B. as regards the exact distribution of galaxies and galaxy clusters. Bolshoi, on the other hand, used the latest data from WMAP, has a higher resolution and is now evaluated more deeply. However, Bolshoi also considers any area of ​​the universe, so that comparisons with actual observations from the terrestrial perspective can only be made statistically. The calculated structures are not ›real‹, but reflect them very well.

Methods

The Bolshoi simulation followed the development of the distribution of 8.6 billion "particles" of dark matter, each "particle" representing 200 million solar masses , in a cube with an edge length of 1 billion light years . In the model, dark matter and dark energy dominate the evolution of the cosmos. The dynamics are described by the ΛCDM model and Einstein's general theory of relativity . ΛCDM is an approach that takes into account cold dark matter (CDM) and the cosmological constant Dun (dark energy, lambda Λ), which describes the accelerated expansion of the universe.

The first 100 million years after the Big Bang can be derived analytically. "Bolshoi" begins 20 million years after the Big Bang with a redshift of .

Results

It is estimated that the Bolshoi simulation has given the best approximation of reality that has been achieved in such simulations to date. Bolshoi shows a universe in which the galaxies or galaxy clusters are lined up along filaments hundreds of millions of light years long , with these filaments enclosing immense voids. This results in the foam-like structure of the universe with ›voids‹ and ›walls‹. This structure is confirmed by research such as the Sloan Digital Sky Survey .

"Big Bolshoi" or "MultiDark" simulation

In addition to the actual Bolshoi simulation, a larger model was also calculated that contains a cube with an edge length of 4 billion light years. It thus comprises a volume that is 64 times larger.

The Bolshoi Planck simulation

In 2013 - also on NASA's Pleiades supercomputer  - a new simulation with the same resolution (8.6 billion "particles" of dark matter à 200 million solar masses in a cube with an edge length of 1 billion light years) as "Bolshoi" was carried out in the additional data from the »Planck« satellite and evaluations by the Planck team were received. The results of this simulation will be published in 2014.

Trivia

The Icelandic artist Björk used images of the Bolshoi simulation during the performance of the Biophilia concert for her title »Dark Matter«.

In Germany, Geo compact No. 39 appeared in the 3rd quarter of 2014 The Milky Way ; The Bolshoi simulation is presented in detail in the film Rätsel der Galaxis / Au coeur de la voie lactée (produced 2010, directed by Duncan Copp , broadcast in 2014 on arte ) on the enclosed DVD .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Joel R. Primack: The Cosmological Supercomputer. How the Bolshoi simulation evolves the universe all over again . IEEE Spectrum. October 1, 2012. Accessed December 31, 2013.
  2. ^ Brian Hayes: A Box of Universe . In: American Scientist . Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society. Archived from the original on August 10, 2014. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved January 11, 2014. @1@ 2Template: Webachiv / IABot / www.americanscientist.org
  3. ↑ Anatoly A. Klypin, Sebastian Trujillo-Gomez, Joel Primack: Dark Matter Halos in the Standard Cosmological Model: Results from the Bolshoi Simulation . In: The Astrophysical Journal . No. 740 , October 20, 2011, p. 102 , doi : 10.1088 / 0004-637X / 740/2/102 , arxiv : 1002.3660 ( ucsc.edu [PDF; accessed on January 1, 2014]).
  4. ↑ Kristin Riebe et al .: The MultiDark Database: Release of the Bolshoi and MultiDark Cosmological Simulations. Kristin Riebe, Adrian M. Partl, Harry Enke, Jaime Forero-Romero, Stefan Gottloeber, Anatoly Klypin, Gerard Lemson, Francisco Prada, Joel R. Primack, Matthias Steinmetz, Victor Turchaninov . New Astronomy. 2011. doi : 10.1002 / asna.201211900 . Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  5. ^ Joel Primack: Computing the Universe . Los Alamos National Laboratory. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  6. ^ Joel Primack: Bolshoi-Planck Cosmological Simulation. Anatoly Klypin & Joel Primack . University of California High-Performance AstroComputing Center. Retrieved January 1, 2014.
  7. ↑ Björk: Björk - Dark Matter @ Bestival 2011 . YouTube. Retrieved January 3, 2014.