COMPUTER SCIENCES MAJOR

DEPARTMENT OF ASTRONOMY

The gas bubbles shown in the center of this plot shoot out from the simulated galaxy at high speed and temperature. The bottom of the galaxy, shown in yellow, ejects some of its gas further into space to make this happen. Many similar structures appear above and below the galaxy. The magnetic fi eld lines in red imply that the gas bubbles are strongly infl uenced by magnetic forces. The small loops imply that the motion of the gas bubbles is driven by magnetic reconnection, when fi eld lines cross and change shape.

Revealing new mysteries in galaxy formation

SHERRY WONG

New developments in software and increased computer capabilities have given researchers better tools. I am using computer simulations to understand how galaxies form and evolve over millions of years. I originally came to UW-Madison seeking research opportunities, and I was fortunate enough to be matched with Ellen Zweibel, a professor of astronomy and physics, as a freshman. My research question is based on how magnetic fi elds and cosmic rays can aff ect a galaxy over time.

Like a bar magnet, the Earth has a magnetic fi eld with north and south poles. Galaxies also have a magnetic fi eld that can aff ect how particles move in space. Over time, this magnetic fi eld can evolve and shape the gas in it.

Cosmic rays are energetic particles that move close to the speed of light. They are released by energetic events like supernovas and active galactic nuclei. They also aff ect how particles move by adding heat or kinetic energy. Both factors can aff ect gas clouds and determine a galaxy’s thickness.

In my research, I am studying the evolution of hot, dense gas bubbles that shoot out from the simulated galaxy. They are driven by magnetic reconnection and cosmic rays. Magnetic reconnection occurs when magnetic fi eld lines cross and change shape, resulting in heated, accelerated gas.

This reconnection is a result of something called the Parker instability. In galaxies, the Parker instability models how magnetic fi elds will warp as they are weighed down unevenly by gravity. It is this warping that draws magnetic fi elds together and causes reconnection. Reconnection is responsible for solar fl ares on our Sun, a phenomenon that occurs when the Sun ejects some of its mass into space.

We want to know more about the forces that drive these bubbles, their features and how they can aff ect the larger galactic system. By running simulations, we can attempt to answer these questions. Astronomers have already observed hot gas bubbles in space, but we know little about bubbles created by reconnection. I have been learning about the physical phenomena that drive the behavior modeled in these simulations, and how to unpack those behaviors from the simulations. I am currently in the process of learning how to run these simulations myself using resources from the Center for High Throughput Computing at UWMadison.

Working with Professor Zweibel and graduate student Roark Habegger has taught me things about the world of research that can only be learned through experience, like how to reach out to other researchers, what it means to be a scientist, how to set your own goals and how to work with tools and knowledge that are always changing.

About the author

Sherry Wong is from New York, N.Y. She is majoring in computer sciences, but is also interested in astrophysics and data science. She expects to graduate in May 2024.