Center for Theory and Computation
The Maryland Astronomy Center for Theory and Computation (CTC) is the umbrella for theory- and computation-related programs within the Department of Astronomy. The mission of the CTC is to promote excellence and innovation in theoretical astrophysics, providing a collective identity and focus point for both research and educational activities. Groups and individuals within the CTC pursue cutting-edge research that covers the full spectrum of technical and topical disciplines within contemporary astrophysics, and maintain collaborations with other theoretical and observational research groups worldwide. A major CTC emphasis is on developing and using state-of-the-art computational tools to extend the frontiers of astrophysical knowledge.
The CTC is the administrative structure that manages theory-related activities and resources within the Astronomy Department, including the theory seminar series ("Theory Lunch"), the Theory Visitors Program, and the Beowulf computing cluster (the Borg).
Many of the CTC's interactions take place within Room 1224, the Theory Think Tank.
Recent Work By CTC Members
Small binary asteroid formation. (Derek Richardson)
See the press release for further information.
Column density and polarization in a simulated molecular cloud. (Eve Ostriker)
Profile of an iron line from a black hole as an X-ray pulse passes over it. (Chris Reynolds)
Ionization of the intergalactic medium by the first stars and galaxies. (Massimo Ricotti)
Spiral arm spurs and GMCs formed in a galactic model (Rahul Shetty & Eve Ostriker )
Facilities
The Theory Think Tank
Room CSS 1224 in the Astronomy Department. Activities that take place in the TTT include casual interactions, weekly group meetings, and formal talks.
Cluster Computing
Computational facilities in the CTC include our Beowulf cluster, borg. This cluster consists of mostly AMD compute nodes that are regularly upgraded or replaced to keep the facility modern and competitive. The cluster supports both serial and distributed parallel applications (e.g. MPI). Regular maintenance includes software upgrades and tape backups. For more information, visit the borg web page.
The CTC is also a partner in the campus high-performance computing initiative. As of early 2008, the cluster consists of nearly 1000 CPUs, some of which are linked with low-latency Infiniband networking.
Resources
The department maintains a wiki on Astronomy Computing for the purpose of preserving our computing-related knowledge and expertise.
