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，这将为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，对重力辐射源的模拟将有助于探测引力波。一旦发现成为常规，它们将提供极有价值的信息，有助于识别资源的特定特征。本奖项的实质工作是通过受控数值实验确定黑洞源产生的引力辐射的一般特征和特征。这项工作适用于数值模拟的两个角色，通过提供有关源的信息，这些信息将有助于最初的发现和后来的识别源的特定特征。该奖项更广泛的影响是加强和加速了数值相对论和数据分析之间的联系，这种联系目前比引力物理学界所需要的要弱。这项工作也为引力物理和天体物理领域的学生和博士后学者的跨学科培训提供了理想的基础；这些学生有一天将在引力波天文台的新发现的研究中处于领先地位。该奖项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开展的广泛研究，并为这些研究做出贡献。

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.