This research will develop a spectral element magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) simulation code, incorporating Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR) techniques, to investigate the formation and geometry of current sheets in astronomical magnetic fields. This development builds on recent accomplishments of the participants in fluid simulations, analytical and numerical results on current sheets, and algorithms for magnetic reconnection. The project will make significant advances in applied mathematics for the spectral element method, and provide a rigorous and conclusive answer to the important question of whether current sheets form in the Parker model. These algorithms to help better resolve singularities in fluid systems will also be useful in other areas.
The work integrates research and education at all levels, including a summer institute for local high school students, interdisciplinary training of graduate students, and mentorship of a junior research scientist, and will promote wide-ranging inter-disciplinary interactions between applied mathematicians, computer scientists, and plasma astrophysicists.
