MODELLING THE RADIATIVE ISM IN MOVING MESH SIMULATIONS

This project will look at improving the radiation transport in the "Arepo" moving-mesh code, and then use these new techniques to explore cluster formation in 'zoom-ins' of full galaxy-scale simulations. The first task will be to include a rough prescription to treat the heating of the gas and dust from newly-formed stars within our cluster formation simulations. This will involve modifying the existing TreeCol algorithm to obtain column densities to the nearest 'sink particles'. Andrew will then look at improving the existing the TreeCol algorithm, by modifying it to use a look-up table. This should provide a factor of roughly 3 in speed up from our current implementation. The science in the PhD will then be focused on the affect that radiative feedback has on the assembly of cluster-forming clumps and how this in turn affects the evolution of the parent cloud. The cluster formation will be studied in the full galactic context, exploiting the full adaptability of Arepo's moving mesh scheme. Andrew will then be able to study how the galactic environment affects the formation of clusters.