Radiation measured from Earth can help scientists characterize far-away plasma dynamics

Outshining the black holes they surround, the bright, hot centers of galaxies known as active galactic nuclei can spew jets of plasma thousands of light-years long.

Although physicists are keen to learn the fluid-like mechanics taking place in these jets of roiling protons and electrons, there is one problem: distance. Millions or billions of light-years stretch between scientists here on Earth and cosmic jets, and observing individual electromagnetic particles through a telescope is impossible.

In an effort to understand these plasma jets, a team from Germany’s HZDR–Dresden used ORNL’s Titan supercomputer to simulate billions of particles in two passing jet streams. The code’s run on Titan earned the team a finalist nomination for the coveted Gordon Bell Prize, which recognizes outstanding achievements in high-performance computing applications.

Read the full story at https://www.olcf.ornl.gov/2013/11/11/simulations-of-plasma-turbulence-model-the-inner-workings-of-cosmic-phenomenon/.