A Digital Twin Model of the Milky Way

Student: Salma Louhaichy
Supervisors: Ivan Olier-Caparroso (LJMU), Andreea Font (LJMU), Sandra Ortega-Martorell (LJMU)
Institution: Liverpool John Moores University

This project aims to build a prototype for a digital twin of the Milky Way, using a combination of real data from Galactic surveys (e.g., astrometric data from the Gaia satellite and chemical abundances from APOGEE and GALAH). These will be augmented by synthetic data generated by cosmological simulations of the Milky Way, specifically, a new suite of high resolutions simulations called ARTEMIS, built at the Astrophysics Research Institute at LJMU. This will be the first time that digital twin is built for an astronomical object, in this case, our own Galaxy. A digital twin will speed up the modelling of the Milky Way compared with more traditional methods. The model will incorporate generative adversarial networks (GANs) to help us test different physical scenarios for the evolution of the Galaxy, given its current state.

During the course of the project, you will have access to computing facilities at LJMU, including the Prospero high-performance computing facility. Training on novel computational techniques and data analysis will be provided as part of the LIV.INNO programme, as well as more specific training at School of Computer Science and Mathematics and the Astrophysics Research Institute at LJMU.
You will also be given the opportunity to carry out an industry placement of six months at Siemens to broaden your wider research and career skills, and learn about applications of digital twins to the health sector.