Project Description: Simulations of massive stars require choices for input physics related to nuclear reactions, convection, stellar winds, and many more. These uncertainties can lead to changes in the inferred observational properties. The intern's role will include using the open-source stellar evolution code, MESA (https://docs.mesastar.org/en/latest/index.html), to run simulations of massive stars and compare these uncertainties to observational data where possible.
NASA Relevance: This work aligns well with the mission of the NASA Astrophysics Division's Physics of the Cosmos and the Astro2020 decadal survey's highest priority exploring the producers of multi-messenger signals in astronomy.
Work Description:
Key tasks include: installing MESA, data organization and analysis using python, performing simulations on local compute resources, comparing the simulation results with the literature and drawing physical conclusions. Additional tasks may include: manuscript writing and preparation, code development.
Open or Reserved Project: Reserved/Open, 1 position reserved for student but mentor may be willing to work with another student if reserved student isn't selected.