Numerical Simulations and Observations

美国、欧洲和日本的干涉引力波观测站已经在收集数据，因此即将有新的发现，这将给物理学和天文学带来新的机遇和挑战。其中一个挑战是数值模拟在这种大规模观测工作中的双重作用。最初，对引力辐射源的模拟将有助于探测波。一旦发现成为例行公事，它们将提供极其有价值的信息，有助于辨别资源的特殊特征。该奖项的工作实质是通过受控数值实验确定由黑洞源产生的引力辐射的一般特征和特征特征。这项工作既适用于数值模拟的作用，也适用于提供有关震源的信息，这些信息最初将有助于发现震源，后来将有助于辨别震源的具体特征。这一奖项的更广泛影响是加强和加速数值相对论和数据分析之间的联系，这种联系目前弱于引力物理学界的需要。这项工作也是对引力物理和天体物理领域的学生和博士后学者进行跨学科培训的理想场所；这些学生和博士后学者将在涉及引力波观测站将取得的新发现的研究中发挥带头作用。该奖项中概述的研究将受益于宾夕法尼亚州立大学引力波物理中心和引力物理与几何研究所已经进行的广泛研究，并对其做出贡献。

Interferometric gravitational wave observatories in the United States, Europe and Japan are already collecting data and, thus, are on the verge of making discoveries that will create new opportunities and challenges in physics and astronomy. One of these challenges is the dual role that numerical simulations have in this large-scale observational effort. Initially, simulations of sources ofgravitational radiation will assist in the detection of waves. Once discoveries become routine, they will provide extremely valuable information that will aid in discerning the particular features of thesources. The essence of the work in this award is the determination, via controlled numerical experiments, of the generic and characteristic features of gravitational radiation produced byblack-hole sources. This work applies to both roles of numerical simulations by providing information about sources that will aid initially in discovery and later in discerning specific features of the sources. The broader impact of this award is to enhance and accelerate the connection between numerical relativity and data analysis, a connection that is currently weaker than needed by the gravitationalphysics community. The work is also an ideal ground for the interdisciplinary training of students and postdoctoral scholars across areas within gravitational physics and astrophysics; studentswho will one day be taking the lead in research involving the new discoveries that will be made by the gravitational wave observatories. The research outlined in this award will benefit from and contribute to the wide spectrum of research already taking place at the Center for Gravitational Wave Physics and the Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry at Penn State.