Astronomical observations provide snapshots of cosmic events. Astrophysical theory seeks to weave these snapshots into a complete story: the past, present, and even the future of a star, a galaxy--or any astrophysical system.
Most of the material in the visible Universe--from stars to the intergalactic medium--is fluid. In order to study the evolution of these systems, members of the theory group apply the equations of fluid dynamics and radiation transfer to astrophysics. Numerical algorithms for studying magnetized and radiation-dominated plasmas are developed and tested at Maryland, while applications are run on some of the world's largest supercomputers.
A major effort focuses on studies of the dynamics of the interstellar medium, particularly on how stars are born. Research pursued by the group includes the internal dynamics of magnetized molecular clouds, evolution of magnetized accretion disks, and production of winds and jets from the interaction region between a disk and a star.
Another research focus centers on the study of white dwarfs and neutron stars--superdense objects born from the death of ordinary stars--where radiation and matter interact under extreme conditions. Using knowledge drawn from many branches of physics, the research group attempts to understand the sources of radiation in neutron stars and how they interact with their environment. How some of these dead stars can be resurrected from the cosmic graveyard remains a mystery.
![[Photo of a Simulated Jet]](jet.gif)
![[Photo of a Kristen Adams]](kadams.gif)
"I'm interested in star formation and the theory behind it. Right now I'm working on numerical simulations of accretion disks. Maryland has a particularly strong computational theory group. Most problems in astronomy cannot be solved linearly--they must be solved numerically--so it's a good background to have.
One of the reasons I came here was because of the area. It's a very supportive astronomy community. Between Maryland, Goddard and the Space Telescope Institute, there's always something going on. Goddard actively recruits Maryland students for summer jobs. Between the university and Goddard, you should be able to find someone to work with. There are lots of restaurants and good shopping, too; I've been to all the monuments in D.C. It's just a great place to be.
I was a physics major as an undergraduate. I was looking for which branch of physics was the most exciting to study in graduate school. This is definitely it!"
Continue on to find out about the BIMA Millimeter-Wave Telescope.