Picard — a Cosmic Ray Propagation Code
Picard
is a Galactic cosmic ray propagatio code developed at
Innsbruck University. The purpose of the code is the
numerical solution of the cosmic ray transport equations
with a focus on the observed cosmic ray spectra at Earth and
the gamma-ray emission resulting from the interaction of the
Galactic cosmic rays with the interstellar medium. The features of
Picard
include:
For this transport equation mostly steady state
solutions for a given cosmic ray source distribution
are investigated. The majority of other Galactic
cosmic ray propagation codes, however, use some
time-integration procedure to determine such a steady
state solution. While the implementation of a
time-integrating scheme for the transport equation is
relatively simple, such a scheme is not very efficient
and it becomes necessary to determine whether a
steady-state solution has been found.
Therefore, Picard uses an alternative method, where a steady-state solution is computed directly. While the implementation of the corresponding scheme is more difficult than for a time-integration scheme, it turns to be numerically more efficient than other schemes. Thus, Picard allows for very high resolution, spatially 3D simulations, by which physical effects can be investigated that are inaccessible at lower spatial resolution. As a first study, we investigated the effects of a cosmic ray source distribution restriced to the vicinity of the Galactic spiral arms, as is discussed in the cosmic ray section of this site.
Picard is a relatively new code that is continuously enhanced and improved. If you are interested in more details, see the article Kissmann (2014) or contact me directly via e-mail. We continuously offer BSc and MSc theses in the context of the Picard code for interested students. Possible theses include both numerical development of the code and application to specific cosmic ray propagation problems.
- Compatibility to Galdef parameter files
- MPI-parallel implementation -- allowing computation on distributed memory computers
- Efficient computation of spatially 3D CR distributions
- Computation of ensuing gamma-ray emission
- Possibility of fully anisotropic spatial diffusion
Therefore, Picard uses an alternative method, where a steady-state solution is computed directly. While the implementation of the corresponding scheme is more difficult than for a time-integration scheme, it turns to be numerically more efficient than other schemes. Thus, Picard allows for very high resolution, spatially 3D simulations, by which physical effects can be investigated that are inaccessible at lower spatial resolution. As a first study, we investigated the effects of a cosmic ray source distribution restriced to the vicinity of the Galactic spiral arms, as is discussed in the cosmic ray section of this site.
Picard is a relatively new code that is continuously enhanced and improved. If you are interested in more details, see the article Kissmann (2014) or contact me directly via e-mail. We continuously offer BSc and MSc theses in the context of the Picard code for interested students. Possible theses include both numerical development of the code and application to specific cosmic ray propagation problems.