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When Atoms Collide
Harnessing fusion power as an endless source of low-cost energy has been an intriguing challenge for scientists. Just ask George Vahala, who has relied on the computing power at NERSC to help other scientists understand the dynamics of generating fusion energy. Vahala, a physics professor at the College of William and Mary, has been one of the most active users of NERSC resources this year. He has spent most of the 1.18 million computing hours on tackling tricky problems… Read More »
Scientists Compute Death Throes of White Dwarf Star in 3D
University of Chicago scientists demonstrated how to incinerate a white dwarf star in unprecedented detail at the “Paths to Exploding Stars” conference on March 22, 2007, in Santa Barbara, Calif. White dwarf stars pack one and a half times the mass of the sun into an object the size of Earth. When they burn out, the ensuing explosion produces a type of supernova that astrophysicists believe manufactures most of the iron in the universe. But these type Ia supernovas, as they are called, may also help illuminate the mystery of dark energy, an unknown force that dominates the universe. Read More »
