![[Bullet Cluster]](./support_files/bullet.jpg)
My
PhD research involves detailed simulations of colliding galaxy clusters, such
as the Bullet Cluster shown here. Galaxy clusters are the largest gravitationally
bound structures in the universe, and represent ideal laboratories for studying the
interactions of matter on very large scales. Recent advances in instrumentation,
especially the deployment of NASA's "great observatories", have generated a
large amount of data on these structures. By simulating the formation and evolution
of these clusters on large computing networks, we can study the distribution and
evolution of the dark matter and ordinary matter that make up these clusters.
This is an excellent test of our understanding of the structure of galaxy clusters,
and of the laws of physics that govern their evolution.