Numerical Methods for Plasma Astrophysics:
From Particle Kinetics to MHD

CSIC Building (#406), Seminar Room 4122.
Directions: home.cscamm.umd.edu/directions

General Relativistic MHD

Dr. Charles Gammie

Physics/Astronomy at University of Illinois

Abstract:   The accretion of plasma into black holes likely powers some of the most luminous objects in the universe, including quasars, galactic black hole binaries, and the gamma-ray bursts. The dynamical modeling of plasmas in the vicinity of rotating black holes poses some interesting computational challenges. I will describe recent progress in the development of algorithms for special and general relativistic magnetohydrodynamics. Extensive efforts have been made to verify current schemes, which have also met some success in attacking longstanding scientific problems. Current schemes also have serious weaknesses; for example they are not robust when the magnetic energy density vastly exceeds the rest mass energy density.