Supernova Simulations with the Radiation Hydrodynamics Code PROMETHEUS/VERTEX

Bernhard Mueller

After reviewing the status of supernova modelling, we present the numerical tools used by our group to investigate the explosions of massive stars. We discuss the Eulerian hydrodynamics code PROMETHEUS, an implementation of the third-order PPM method for arbirary equations of state, as well as the radiation transport module VERTEX, which solves the Boltzmann equation for neutrinos in a time-implicit fashion. We also discuss the performance of the code on different architectures, analyze computational bottlenecks (focussing on vector computers), and report on recent optimizations done at HLRS. Finally, we outline future developments, driven by the need for highly scalable codes in the field of supernova simulations.

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