Abstract: From PDEs to the Solar System

Planet formation is one of the most complex, multi-scale phenomena in the Universe. We aim to model the accumulation of tiny, sub-micron sized dust grains into planets 13 orders of magnitude larger in size. We model this process using large fluid dynamics simulations that can include a dozen different types of fluids, some that represent astrophysical gasses (Hydrogen), and some that represent dust grains and tiny rocks. I will describe how the numerical solution to coupled partial differential equations can help us understand why some planets turn out like Earth, and others look more like Jupiter. I will touch on the technical and computational challenges, and highlight ongoing progress in our research group.