Gravitational Radiation and Relativistic Astrophysics

该奖项支持引力波物理学和天体物理学的研究项目，主要用于支持激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO）。这项研究的主要科学目标是帮助LIGO取得成功，(i)通过增加其从各种来源探测引力波的前景，（ii）通过提高其从观测波中提取引力波应该携带的丰富信息的能力。更普遍的目标是促进高精度测量技术的进步，促进我们对作为引力波源的天体物理系统的理解，并促进能够对高动态弯曲时空进行鲁棒和精确模拟的数值方法和计算机代码的发展。更具体地说：(1)拟议的研究将制定和评估在近期和长期内提高高级LIGO灵敏度的创新方法。该研究还将探索如何使用引力波干涉仪来探索人类大小物体的量子行为，并寻找新的未知物理。(2)研究将继续改进谱爱因斯坦码（SpEC）及其求解爱因斯坦广义相对论方程的能力。(3)结合解析技术和SpEC数值模拟：(1)生成双黑洞引力波波形，用于LIGO数据分析；（ii）将探讨高弯曲时空的非线性动力学行为。将开发利用LIGO数据绘制引力波源内部弯曲时空的策略。(4)数值和分析工具将应用于物质（中子星双星，中子星/黑洞双星，恒星坍缩）的引力波源的研究，有助于更深入地了解：(i)它们的引力波，中微子和电磁发射，以及（ii）它们在短和长伽马射线暴和超新星爆炸中的可能作用。(5)支持小组将在以下方面做出贡献：(i) LSC在LIGO数据中搜索引力波事件，（ii）改进LIGO数据分析基础设施，以及（iii）提高LIGO数据分析能力和效率的算法。这个研究项目将成为年轻物理学家和天体物理学家的培训基地。它将教授他们各种各样的研究技术，从实验设计和分析，通过开发和使用数据分析算法，到引力波源的天体物理现象学，以及通过分析技术和3+1维数值模拟研究天体物理系统。参与该提案的高级人员将积极开展广泛的活动，通过以下方式接触到更广泛的科学界和公众：(i)通过出版物、讲座和互联网传播研究成果和科学数据；（ii）与K-12教育工作者和学生互动，例如通过LIGO外展计划；（iii）公开讲座；（iv）积极参与设计和制作以科学为基础的好莱坞电影、纪录片、教育广播节目和多媒体节目。

This award supports a research program on the physics and astrophysics of gravitational waves, largely in support of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO). The primary scientific objective of this research is to help make LIGO a success, (i) by increasing its prospects of detecting gravitational waves from a wide variety of sources, and (ii) by improving its ability to extract from observed waves the rich information that the waves should carry. More general objectives are to contribute to the advance of the technology and techniques for high-precision measurements, contribute to our understanding of astrophysical systems as sources of gravitational waves, and contribute to the development of numerical methods and computer codes capable of carrying out robust and accurate simulations of highly dynamical curved spacetime. More specifically: (1) The proposed research will formulate and evaluate innovative approaches to improving Advanced LIGO's sensitivity, both in the near future and longer term. The research will also explore how gravitational-wave interferometers can be used to explore the quantum behavior of human-sized objects and search for new, unknown physics. (2) The research will continue to improve the Spectral Einstein Code (SpEC) and its ability to solve Einstein's general relativity equations. (3) By combined analytical techniques and numerical simulations with SpEC: (i) gravitational waveforms for binary black holes will be generated for use in LIGO data analysis; and (ii) the nonlinear dynamical behavior of highly curved spacetime will be explored. Strategies will be developed for using LIGO data to map the curved spacetime inside gravitational-wave sources. (4) Numerical and analytical tools will be applied to the study of gravitational-wave sources with matter (neutron-star binaries, neutron-star/black-hole binaries, stellar collapse), contributing to a deeper understanding of: (i) their gravitational-wave, neutrino, and electromagnetic emissions, and (ii) their possible roles in short and long gamma-ray bursts and supernova explosions. (5) The supported group will contribute to (i) the LSC's searches for gravitational-wave events in LIGO data, (ii) the improvement of LIGO data analysis infrastructure, and (iii) algorithms that will enhance LIGO's data-analysis capability and efficiency in the future.This research program will serve as a training ground for young physicists and astrophysicists. It will teach them a wide variety of research techniques, ranging from experimental design and analysis, through development and use data-analysis algorithms, to the astrophysical phenomenology of gravitational-wave sources and the study of astrophysical systems by analytic techniques and 3+1-dimensional numerical simulations. Senior personnel on this proposal will vigorously pursue a wide range of activities that reach out to the broader scientific community and the general public, through: (i) dissemination of research results and scientific data via publications, lectures and the internet; (ii) interacting with K-12 educators and students, e.g. via the LIGO outreach program, (iii) public lecturing, and (iv) active participation in the design and production of science-based Hollywood movies, documentaries, educational radio programs and multi-media shows.