Gravitational Radiation from Black Holes

该项目的目标是开发新的计算方法来研究在共轨黑洞的启发和合并过程中产生的引力波。该方法使用了最近与计算数学家合作开发的解决爱因斯坦方程的技术，并在测试问题上进行了彻底的校准。它们已经作为爱因斯坦工具包中的社区资源实现，该工具包被许多参与黑洞模拟的研究小组使用。该技术将进一步发展，以测量引力波带走的能量和角动量的损失。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，加速的物体会产生引力波，类似于电荷产生电磁波的方式。目前，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）已经建成，预计将通过直接探测引力波开辟一种新的天文学形式。最强大的引力波来源是两个共轨黑洞的激励和合并。计算机模拟为LIGO提供了必要的理论细节，以调谐引力信号并监测合并的动态。

The goal of this project is to develop new computational methods to study the gravitational waves generated during the inspiral and merger of co-orbiting black holes. The approach uses techniques for solving Einstein's equations which have been recently developed in collaboration with computational mathematicians and thoroughly calibrated on test problems. They have been implemented as a community resource in the Einstein toolkit, which is used by the many research groups involved in black hole simulations. The techniques will be further developed to measure the loss of energy and angular momentum carried off by the gravitational waves. 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 bodies produce gravitational waves, analogous to the way electric charges produce electromagnetic waves. At present, 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 been constructed that is expected to open up a new form of astronomy by direct detection of these waves. The most powerful source of gravitational waves is the inspiral and merger of two co-orbiting black holes. Computer simulations provide the theoretical details necessary for LIGO to tune in on the gravitational signal and monitor the dynamics of the merger.