Gravitational-Wave and Strong-Gravity Astrophysics

该奖项支持在引力物理方面的综合培训和研究计划，重点是引力波源和非常强重力源的天体物理学。该计划旨在为即将由先进的地面引力波探测器进行的观测以及其他计划中的强重力系统天文测量做准备。它也是对极强引力双星系统的计算机模拟的补充，例如相互运行的黑洞。该奖项支持的研究将包括三个主要部分：(1)黑洞微扰理论(即，当黑洞的时空略有改变时会发生什么)的研究，重点是如何利用这一理论来改进和扩展现有的强场双星系统建模方法，称为“扩展的一体”方法。(2)使用先进的地面引力波探测器的天文学。(3)测试将允许评估天体物理候选黑洞是否真的是广义相对论黑洞的想法。这些研究项目的大部分工作将由研究生完成，本科生将做出重要贡献。这项工作将有助于确保引力波探测器作为引力波观测站充分发挥潜力，开辟观测天文学的一个新领域。它还将与其他正在开发的天文设施一起，帮助发展探测强重力的基础。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，可在网址http://gmunu.mit.edu.上找到该目录向更广泛的科学界宣传引力波科学的前景，是一种有效的公共宣传工具。受过引力和引力波科学训练的科学家通常会发展一系列广泛的技能，使他们成为科学界有价值的一员。

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.