Simulations of Black-Hole Binaries with Moving Punctures

该奖项支持一项研究计划，以模拟不同质量比和自旋的天体物理黑洞双星的合并。 主要重点是开发和应用新的工具，数值相对论和微扰方法，以协助当前和未来的引力波探测工作，并解决当前天体物理学感兴趣的问题。 最近的突破使数值相对论进入了天体物理学和引力波数据分析应用的新黄金时代。 特别是，罗切斯特理工学院（RIT）的数值相对论小组（以及独立的NASA戈达德小组）开发了一种新技术，称为“移动穿刺”方法，能够稳定地从螺旋阶段（至少几个轨道）通过合并和衰荡阶段演化黑洞双星。 数值相对论研究计划的主要科学目标是调查：（i）关于高度非线性相互作用细节的一些重要的物理学问题，（ii）引力辐射的产生，以及（iii）不等质量旋转黑洞双星的天体物理学性质。 为了实现这些目标，这项研究将解决一些重要的挑战，如：（1）获得天体物理学相关的初始数据，从一个现实的内螺旋轨道开始模拟，（2）探索不同质量比和自旋的大参数空间，（3）确保多轨道模拟本身足够准确，既引力波检测和信号的解释。在计算方面，研究人员建议增强他们目前的计算框架（LazEv），以妥善解决这些挑战。此外，“Lazarus”计划从晚期全三维双星演化中提取引力辐射，并将其演化为稳定和准确的二维微扰演化，该计划将在移动穿刺方法的框架内得到扩展。 最后，一个正在进行的计划将被扩展到研究一个围绕克尔黑洞运行的小型紧凑物体的轨道衰变。一旦被探测到，引力波将打开一扇通往宇宙的新窗口。 具有随机取向的单个自旋的不等质量黑洞双星的合并将是地面探测器（如LIGO）和下一代天基探测器（如丽莎）可探测到的最强引力波天体物理源之一。 特别是，LIGO现在正在获取数据，其灵敏度是如此之高，以至于在未来几年内可能会检测到合并黑洞的引力波。 这项研究将是特别重要的LIGO，因为它的目标是产生重力波形模板用于重力波数据分析。 该奖项提供了重要的资源，以支持最近在RIT创建的计算相对论和引力中心（CCRG）的一个新的研究密集型数值相对论项目。 CCRG将提供一个新的研究环境，让学生接触到前沿的研究和技术。 这些学生将学习操作大规模并行计算机，高性能计算和代码优化，复杂三维数据可视化的关键技能，以及在强引力系统中进行尖端研究。

This award supports a research program to model the coalescence of astrophysical black-hole binaries for different mass ratios and spins. The main focus is on the development and application of novel tools for numerical relativity and perturbative methods to assist the current and future gravitational wave detection efforts and to solve problems of current astrophysical interest. Recent breakthroughs have allowed numerical relativity to enter a new golden age of applications to astrophysics and gravitational wave data analysis. In particular, the numerical relativity group at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) (and independently the NASA Goddard group) has developed a new technique, known as the "moving-puncture" approach, capable of stably evolving black-hole binaries from the inspiral phase (for at least several orbits) through the merger and ring-down phases. The main scientific objectives of the numerical relativity research program are to investigate: (i) some important open questions of physical interest about the details of highly nonlinear interactions, (ii) the generation of gravitational radiation, and (iii) astrophysical properties of unequal-mass, spinning black-hole binaries. To achieve these, this research will address some important challenges such as: (1) obtaining astrophysically relevant initial data for simulations that start from a realistic inspiral orbit, (2) exploring the large parameter space for different mass ratios and spins, and (3) ensuring that the multiple-orbit simulations themselves are accurate enough for both gravitational wave detection and the interpretation of the signals. On the computational side, the investigators propose to enhance their current computational framework (LazEv) to properly address these challenges. In addition, the "Lazarus" program to extract the gravitational radiation from late-time full-3D binary evolutions and evolve it with a stable and accurate 2D perturbative evolution will be extended in the framework of the moving punctures approach. Finally, an ongoing program will be extended to study the orbital decay of a small compact object orbiting a Kerr black hole.Once detected, gravitational waves will open a new window into the universe. The coalescence of unequal-mass black-hole binaries with randomly oriented individual spins will be one of the strongest astrophysical sources of gravitational waves detectable by both ground-based detectors, such as LIGO, and the next generation of space-based detectors, such as LISA. In particular, LIGO is now taking data and its sensitivity is such that it is possible that gravitational waves from merging black holes will be detected in the next few years. This research will be of particular importance to LIGO since its goal is to produce gravitational waveform templates to be used for gravitional wave data analysis. This award provides important resources to support a new research-intensive program in numerical relativity at the Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation (CCRG), recently created at the RIT. The CCRG will provide a new research environment in which students are exposed to cutting-edge research and technology. These students will learn critical skills in operating massively parallel computers, high performance computing and code optimization, visualization of complex 3-dimensional data, as well perform cutting edge research in strongly gravitating systems.