Black Holes and the Dynamics of Galactic Nuclei

这个项目将研究星系核的动力学和演化，从它们形成到现在，重点是合并和双黑洞的影响。关于黑洞对原子核结构的影响、双星的寿命、分层合并的累积效应、三重或多重黑洞系统的可能作用、碰撞率和预测的引力波事件率，以及黑洞是否曾经从星系中喷射出来等问题，将用各种数值方法来解决。这些模型将与附近星系的观测结果进行比较。天体物理学的许多子领域都与单黑洞和双黑洞有关，这项工作在为估计引力波事件率提供天体物理学基础方面将特别重要。其他更广泛的影响来自与非博士学位授予和少数民族服务机构的学生和教师的互动，下一代仪器的开发，以及向科学界传播计算机算法。

AST-0437519MerrittThis project will study the dynamics and evolution of galactic nuclei, from their formation through to the present day, with an emphasis on mergers and the influence of binary black holes. Questions about the influence of black holes on the structure of nuclei, the longevity of binaries, the cumulative effect of hierarchical merging, possible roles for triple or multiple black hole systems, the rate of encounters and predicted gravitational wave event rates, and whether black holes are ever ejected from galaxies, will be tackled with a variety of numerical approaches. The models will be compared with observations of nearby galaxies.Many subfields of astrophysics are concerned with single and binary supermassive black holes, and this work will be particularly important in providing an astrophysical grounding for estimates of gravitational wave event rates. Additional broader impact comes from interactions with students and faculty at non-PhD-granting and minority-serving institutions, the development of next-generation instrumentation, and dissemination of computer algorithms to the scientific community.