Problems in Gravitational Radiation

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This proposal requests support for a single investigator to continue work on outstanding problems in numerical general relativity. The proposed projects are (1) formulation of boundary conditions for a numerical evolution of the Einstein equations, (2) computation of gravitational waveforms in the final stages of the coalescence of two black holes, and (3) gravitational radiation from the capture of a neutron star by a black hole. These are all of great interest to the community of scientists studying gravitational waves and the foundations of general relativity. Perturbation techniques have been successfully employed to deduce properties of some exotic cosmological events such as neutron star-neutron star coalescence (NS-NS inspiral) in the very early or very late stages, but are not sufficient in the intermediate stage of the merger. Large-scale computer simulations are necessary to bridge the gap between these extremes. The research proposed here will seek to develop the tools needed for such simulations. Numerical techniques developed by the P.I. and his colleagues have enabled important advances in the past and will be used to advantage in the proposed research program.