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Into the Wild Blue Yonder ...

© Adam Hughes

Over the past few months, we've spent considerable time and energy examining the role of simulation in biological studies, and with good reason. We are a very self-interested species, and DNA technology and other scientific breakthroughs have allowed us to find out more about ourselves than most of us ever deemed possible. Computer simulation is another tool to help us with our introspection. However, sometimes its good to step back and realize that we aren't the only thing in the universe worthy of study, that there are big things happening out there that deserve some attention. REALLY big things. Like space, and all things astronomical. More specifically and to the point, like active galactic nuclei (AGN).

You say you've never heard of active galactic nuclei? Well, neither had I until I started doing a little research into the current and recent simulation studies being conducted to examine astronomical phenomena. As it turns out, AGN's are interesting and important features of our universe that have been the subjects of computational investigations. As such, they represent a good place to jump in and see how simulation science is being utilized by today's astronomers.

The universe contains countless galaxies, some of which contain a very brilliant cores, or nuclei, which shine brighter than even the stars in the galaxies. These cores are the Active galactic nuclei, and it is believed that they contain large, matter-sucking black holes that indiscriminately chew up nearby stars, planets, and other galactic particles. Occasionally, the devoured matter is repelled from the black hole with enormous velocity, a phenomenon known as active galactic nuclei jets. All of these entities have been the focus of intense study, but for our purposes at the present time, the AGN jets are the most interesting. Just why and how they are formed has remained continues to be shrouded in mystery. Luckily for us, they are being subjected to intense study, including computational investigation.

Next time, we'll take a look at some of the work being done in this area, but in the meantime, you can learn more about AGN's and other neat phenomena at any of the following sites.

http://spot.mtk.nao.ac.jp/katosi/cdrom http://www.astro.lsa.umich.edu/users/hug... http://www-xray.ast.cam.ac.uk/oday/agn_d... http://www.stsci.edu/stsci/meetings/shst...

Just be careful as you approach the black hole!

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