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Tomida Lab
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The lab uses large-scale computation to study how stars and planetary systems form.
AboutAbout the lab
Recreating the birth of stars and disks inside a computer
The Computational Astrophysics Lab uses large-scale numerical simulations to study how stars form and how disks form around them.
By including a wide range of physical processes such as magnetic fields and radiation, and taking an approach as close to first principles as possible, the lab investigates the formation of protostars and circumstellar disks.
From the simulation results, the lab derives light signals that can be compared directly with observations, and also works on comparing them with actual observational results and planning observations.
The lab co-develops Athena++, a new simulation code for this kind of research.
Key terms
- protostar
- A newly formed object on its way to becoming a star, built up as surrounding gas gathers
- circumstellar disk
- A disk-shaped cloud of gas spreading around a star. It sets the initial conditions for planet formation
- radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulation
- A numerical simulation that calculates gas flow together with the effects of magnetic fields and light (radiation)
- ALMA
- The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array. It carries out observations of young protostars and protoplanetary disks
- AMR
- Adaptive mesh refinement: a technique that dynamically creates fine grids only where needed, following the calculation results
ResearchResearch themes
To understand how stars and planetary systems form, the lab studies how protostars and circumstellar disks form, using numerical simulations that include a wide range of physical processes. It also works on comparing simulations with observations and on developing simulation codes.
*Illustrative imageHow protostars and disks form
The lab studies gravitationally collapsing molecular clouds with radiation magnetohydrodynamic simulations. It has found that, because the magnetic field is weakened, a circumstellar disk forms almost simultaneously with the protostar.
*Illustrative imageDirect comparison between simulations and observations
The lab performs radiative transfer calculations on simulation results to derive radiation signals that can be compared directly with observations. It also simulates ALMA observations and uses them for comparison with observations and for planning observations.
*Illustrative imageDeveloping a shared simulation code
The lab co-develops the simulation code Athena++ with a group led by Prof. James Stone at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton. It supports flexible grid layouts such as AMR and is optimized for large-scale parallel computers.
MembersFaculty
- Associate ProfessorKengo Tomida
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “HD 163296 protoplanetary disk by ALMA (16CB25B)” ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO); A. Isella; B. Saxton (NRAO/AUI/NSF) / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- How protostars and disks form: “Feeding a Baby Star with a Dusty Hamburger” ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO)/ Lee et al. / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Direct comparison between simulations and observations: “European Antennas at ALMA's Operations Support Facility” ALMA (ESO/NAOJ/NRAO) / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Developing a shared simulation code: “Virginia Tech - data center” Christopher Bowns / CC BY-SA 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Omukai Lab (TAP Theoretical Astronomy Group)): “Hubble2005-01-barred-spiral-galaxy-NGC1300” NASA, ESA, and The Hubble Heritage Team STScI/AURA) / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Planetary Atmospheric Physics Lab): “Mars atmosphere” NASA / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Space and Terrestrial Electromagnetism Lab): “Aurora Seen From Space by NASA” NASA -- US government agency / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Morishita Lab): “NASA-HS201427a-HubbleUltraDeepField” NASA, ESA, H. Teplitz and M. Rafelski (IPAC/Caltech), A. Koekemoer (STScI), R. Windhorst (Arizona State University), and Z. Levay (STScI) / Public domain (cropped)
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