Massive Black Holes (MBHs) populate the centres of most, if not all, galaxies with total masses greater than approximately 1e12 solar masses.
The project outlined here aims to uncover firstly the formation pathways of MBHs and secondly to track the evolution and growth of MBHs in very early galaxies as the MBHs grow, merge and settle towards their host galaxy's centre.
The initial phases of the project, including prototyping for this proposal, have already been conducted using DECI resources.
Using the DECI-16 award three overdense clusters were identified and the initial stages of simulation performed. Each cluster is now on the cusp of forming the first star inside its region.
The clusters all represent highly overdense regions of a virtual Universe and are the perfect laboratory in which to study the formation pathways of MBHs. EuroHPC resources will advance this project significantly and crucially by allowing the simulations to continue past the first peak of star and MBH formation.
Rather than examining a single galaxy at high resolution EuroHPC facilities will allow us to examine thousands of embryonic galaxies with the goal of building up statistics on the pathways to massive star and MBH formation for the first time.
Maynooth University, Ireland