Gravitational Radiation from Black Holes

该项目的目标是开发新的计算方法来模拟黑洞的碰撞并计算所发射的重力波。该方法使用了与计算数学家合作开发的技术，并在模型问题上进行了测试。这些技术的应用将扩展到现实的黑洞系统。波，如水、声波和电磁波，是物理系统的一个突出特征。爱因斯坦引力理论的一个革命性预测是，加速质量会产生引力波，类似于电荷产生电磁波的方式。引力波只能通过消耗两颗共轨脉冲星能量的方式间接探测到。激光干涉引力波天文台（LIGO）最近已经建成，它将有可能通过直接探测引力波开辟一种新的天文学形式。黑洞碰撞的计算机模拟可以提供引力波的细节，这是LIGO天文台接收信号所必需的。

The goal of this project is to develop new computational methods to simulate the the collision of black holes and to calculate the gravity waves which are emitted. The approach uses techniques which have been developed in collaboration with computational mathematicians and tested on model problems. The application of these techniques will be extended to realistic black hole systems.Waves, such as water, sound and electromagnetic waves are a prominent feature of physical systems. A revolutionary prediction of Einstein's gravitational theory is that accelerated masses produce gravitational waves, analogous to the way electric charges produce electromagnetic waves. Gravitational waves have only been detected indirectly by the way they deplete energy from two co-orbiting pulsars. A Laser Interferometric Gravity Wave Observatory (LIGO) has recently been constructed that will potentially open up a new form of astronomy by detecting gravity waves directly. Computer simulations of black hole collisions can provide the details of the gravitational waves which are necessary for the LIGO observatory to tune in on the signal.