The new simulation uses 300 billion tiny elements, each representing a small cube-sized galaxy cluster whose edges are 10 billion light-years across.
An international research team led by scientists from Britain’s Durham University conducted the largest computer simulation in the history of science to date, which was designed to understand the grand structure of the universe, and may contribute to scientists achieving a better understanding of the origins of our universe and its future.
This achievement was documented in three research papers published in the “Monthly Notes” journal of the Royal Astronomical Society. The first describes the methods used, the second presents the simulations, and the third studies the extent to which the simulations succeed in reproducing the large-scale structure of the universe.
The new simulation was conducted using a supercomputer at Durham University called Cosma 8 (Durham University).
What is computer simulation?
Astronomical computer simulations are models or algorithms that use mathematical equations and physical laws available to scientists to simulate the behavior and development of objects and astronomical phenomena. They are among the most important tools of scientists in this field, along with astronomical observatories of all kinds.
Computer simulations are particularly useful to scientists in cosmology, because they can help them test a number of theories and hypotheses about the origin, structure and evolution of the universe, and compare them with telescope and satellite observations.
This type of simulation model can also make predictions about the future of the universe, such as its expansion rate and fate, in addition to exploring scenarios and phenomena that are difficult or impossible to observe directly, such as the formation of the first stars, the effects of dark matter and dark energy, and interactions between galaxies and black holes. Computationalism in this context produces realistic images and animations of the universe.
What’s new in the Durham University simulation?
The new simulation was conducted on a Durham University supercomputer called “COSMA 8” at a cost of more than $10 million. The computer runs efficiently on more than 30,000 central processing units. For approximation purposes, this computer has a capacity equivalent to 17,000 home computers.
Before this new simulation – called “Flamingo” – the computer simulations used only tracked dark matter, an aspect that represents only about 27% of the composition of the universe, but the new simulation adds dark energy (68% of the composition of the universe) and ordinary matter (5 % of the composition of the universe), along with dark matter.
The new simulation uses 300 billion tiny elements, each representing a small cube-sized galaxy cluster with edges 10 billion light-years across.
Researchers from Durham University believe that the results of the new simulations will represent a shift in cosmology, especially when compared to the results of space missions such as the Euclid Space Telescope recently launched by the European Space Agency, and the James Webb Space Observatory of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), if there are differences between the results. This directed scientists to new points in scientific research in cosmology.
