The Milky Way has over 100 billion stars, each on its own journey through life. For years, scientists wanted to create a detailed simulation of our galaxy. They aimed to better understand how galaxies form and change, but technology held them back—until now.
A team led by Keiya Hirashima at RIKEN’s Center for Interdisciplinary Theoretical and Mathematical Sciences achieved a significant breakthrough. They created a simulation that represents all 100 billion stars over 10,000 years of galactic time. This was made possible by combining artificial intelligence with traditional physics models, recently showcased at the Supercomputing Conference.
Previously, simulating a galaxy was challenging. Existing simulations could only manage about one billion solar masses, averaging out individual stars, which meant losing critical details like supernova explosions. To capture these events accurately required extensive computing power and time. For instance, simulating one billion years would take 36 years of real-time computing.
Hirashima’s team overcame this by using a deep learning model. They trained an AI to predict how gas expands after supernovae, speeding up the simulation without losing accuracy. The efficiency gains were striking; tasks that would have taken 36 years now take just 115 days.
This new method’s potential extends beyond galaxy simulations. Experts believe it could revolutionize how we model various complex systems, such as climate change, weather forecasting, and ocean dynamics. Each of these areas often involves different scales of space and time, and the techniques used in galaxy simulation could provide game-changing insights.
To validate their findings, the researchers tested their simulations on two powerful supercomputers, confirming their accuracy at an unprecedented scale. This advancement is not just a win for astrophysics; it opens doors for various fields that require precise modeling over vast ranges of phenomena.
As we embrace this technology, popular discussions highlight the excitement and curiosity surrounding our universe. Social media is buzzing with interest, as people share thoughts on space exploration and the possibilities that come with advanced simulations.
In conclusion, this breakthrough in galaxy simulation not only deepens our understanding of the Milky Way but also sets a foundation for addressing other complex scientific questions.
For more details on this study, you can read the full article from Universe Today.
