computational and data science in astrophysics
CDSA students must be US citizens or permanent residents currently enrolled in a bachelor degree program. Succesful applicants will have completed two semesters of introductory calculus-based physics and be at least one year away from completing a bachelor degree. While previous experience in computer programming will have a positive impact on a student's experience in the CDSA program, such experience is not required of applicants.
Email the following three items in docx or pdf format to the above address.
The application form asks for the names of two references, preferably faculty or other mentors who can directly comment on your aptitude for undergradaute research. You do not need to have them send letters directly to us - we will request letters from them if necessary.
Your one-page essay should describe your interests in science, computation and data science. Include relevant aspects of your academic record and your tentative career plans. Indicate why you feel participation in this REU program would benefit you, and the part it can play in your future plans.
Undergraduate students at NC State have been actively involved in astrophysics research for 25 years. Below we highlight recent student accomplishments.
Chris began his astrophysics research during the summer of 2008 and continued part time during the following academic years. He spent the summers of 2009 and 2010 at Los Alamos National Lab on a different research project. He received his BS in Physics in May 2011 and is now a graduate student at UT-Knoxville.
The gravitational accretion onto a star moving through uniform
interstellar gas was first described by Hoyle and Lyttleton in 1939.
This description of accretion flow assumes smooth, laminar flow and
predicts identically zero accreted angular momentum.
HLA theory continues to be used in many fields of astrophysics,
including a new class of accreting neutron stars now known as Supergiant
Fast X-Ray Transients.
Chris used 2D hydrodynamic
simulations to show that the accretion flow does not behave as described in this original theory, but instead
occurs through a rotating accretion disk. As a consequence, the accreting star can be spun up to short
rotation periods.
Chris' results are published in The Astrophysical Journal:
Blondin & Pope 2009, ApJ 700, 95