New STFC-funded project on 3D simulations of massive stars in Keele
Vertical cross-section of the turbulent flow inside a star where carbon fusion at the bottom of the image makes the plasma buoyant and drives turbulence. The colour indicates the speed of the plasma.
Prof Raphael Hirschi from Keele University and BRIDGCE UK network steering committee member was awarded funding from STFC for the coming three years to study the late phases of massive stars via large-scale three-dimensional (3D) hydrodynamic simulations of their interior (such as the one shown in the image). The core goal of this project is to produce multi-dimensional progenitors of supernovae (SNe), neutron stars (NSs) and black holes (BHs). This goal will be achieved through 5 tasks (see Fig. 1), each with its own aim. Prof Hirschi and his team will guide convective boundary mixing (CBM) theoretical prescriptions with new 3-dimension (3D) hydrodynamic simulations (A.1). They will also develop new 3D-hydro+asteroseisology guided CBM prescriptions for 1D stellar models (A.2) and Determine the impact of new CBM prescriptions on stellar structure & evolution & nucleosynthesis (A.3). Prof Jorick Vink from Armagh Observatory will contribute to the project by predicting spectroscopic signatures of CBM and late activity in supernova progenitors (A.4). Finally, Prof Alex Murphy from The University of Edinburgh will contribute to the project by developing an efficient silicon burning nuclear reaction network for 3D hydro code (A.5).