Dust formation in the universe: reconstructing of theoretical models

The formation process of cosmic dust is the starting point of solid matter and is important for understanding the evolution of cosmic material and planet formation processes. The nucleation process at the initial stage of the phase transition is a key to how cosmic dust is formed and evolves. Recent studies of the nucleation have shown possibilities that are very different from the theoretical models that have been considered so far. We have investigated the nucleation process using molecular dynamics simulations, which allow us to observe the nucleation process at the molecular level and obtain new information. We also present our attempt to develop and reconstruct a new theoretical model to elucidate a comprehensive picture of cosmic dust formation in collaboration with experiments.