Subgrid-scale modeling of turbulence regulated star formation in simulations of galaxy evolution

• Applicant: Professor Dr. Jens Niemeyer
• Subject Area: Astrophysics and Astronomy
• Term: from 2008 to 2013
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 48923236

Taking advantage of the unique capabilities of the FEARLESS code currently developed in our group, we intend to implement a theory for turbulence regulated star formation recently proposed by Krumholz and McKee (2005) as a subgrid-scale (SGS) model in galaxy simulations. FEARLESS combines SGS modeling of unresolved turbulence with adaptive mesh refinement (AMR) in the cosmological hydrocode ENZO. It provides a local measure for the kinetic energy of unresolved turbulence which is required to calculate the local star formation rate if star formation occurs in virialized, supersonically turbulent gas clouds. We propose to recalibrate the Krumholz-McKee model using data from our own simulations of supersonic turbulence, followed by simulations of a disk galaxy using the calibrated algorithm as a star formation SGS model. These results will be compared with older simulations using phenomenological parameterizations of the star formation rate.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants