Gravitational-Wave and Strong-Gravity Astrophysics

引力波和强引力天体物理学

• 批准号: 1068720
• 负责人: Scott Hughes
• 金额: $ 36万
• 依托单位: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2011
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2011-07-01 至 2014-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1068720&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Gravitational; Wave; Strong; Gravity; Astrophysics

This award supports an integrated program of training and research in gravitational physics, with a focus on the astrophysics of gravitational-wave sources and sources of very strong gravity. This program is designed to prepare for upcoming observations by advanced ground-based gravitational-wave detectors as well as other planned astronomical measurements of strong-gravity systems. It also complements computer simulations of very-strong-gravity binary systems such as black holes orbiting each other. The research supported by this award will have three major components: (1) Studies of black hole perturbation theory (i.e., what happens when the space-time of a black hole is slightly modified), with a focus on how this theory can be used to refine and extend an existing method for modeling strong-field binary systems called the "extended one-body" approach. (2) Astronomy with advanced ground-base gravitational-wave detectors. (3) Testing ideas that will allow assessment of whether astrophysical black hole candidates are truly the black holes of general relativity. The bulk of the work in these research projects will be performed by graduate students, with an important contribution from undergraduates.This work will help ensure that gravitational-wave detectors reach their full potential as gravitational-wave observatories, opening a new field of observational astronomy. It will also help develop the foundations for probing strong gravity with other astronomical facilities that are under development. This award will support the continued development of a catalog of sounds and videos describing gravitational-wave science, available at the URL http://gmunu.mit.edu. This catalog informs the broader scientific community about the promise of gravitational-wave science, and is an effective public outreach tool. Scientists trained in gravity and gravitational-wave science typically develop a broad range of skills, making them valuable members of the scientific community.

该奖项支持引力物理学培训和研究的综合计划，重点是引力波源和非常强引力源的天体物理学。 该计划旨在为即将进行的高级地面引力波探测器观测以及其他计划中的强引力系统天文测量做准备。 它还补充了对非常强引力的双星系统（如相互绕轨道运行的黑洞）的计算机模拟。 该奖项支持的研究将有三大部分：（1）黑洞微扰理论研究（即，当黑洞的时空发生轻微改变时会发生什么），重点是如何使用该理论来改进和扩展现有的强场二元系统建模方法，称为“扩展的一体”方法。(2)天文学与先进的地面引力波探测器。 (3)测试的想法，将允许评估是否天体物理学黑洞候选者是真正的广义相对论的黑洞。 这些研究项目中的大部分工作将由研究生完成，本科生也将做出重要贡献。这项工作将有助于确保引力波探测器充分发挥其作为引力波观测台的潜力，开辟观测天文学的新领域。 它还将有助于为利用正在开发的其他天文设施探测强引力奠定基础。 该奖项将支持继续开发描述引力波科学的声音和视频目录，可在URL http://gmunu.mit.edu上获取。 该目录向更广泛的科学界介绍了引力波科学的前景，是一个有效的公共宣传工具。 受过重力和引力波科学训练的科学家通常会发展出广泛的技能，使他们成为科学界的宝贵成员。