Numerical Modeling of Large Mass-Ratio Black Hole Binaries Using Time-Domain Perturbation Theory

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This research project will advance the science behind the emerging discipline of gravitational wave astronomy -- an area which the US is deeply invested in through the NSF LIGO project. One of the strongest sources of gravitational radiation is the merger of two black holes and therefore it is critical to develop a full understanding of the dynamics of such a binary system. Our work will make important contributions to this effort in the context of large mass-ratio black hole binary systems i.e. when one member of the binary is a supermassive black hole and the other is a solar-mass sized object. More specifically, we will significantly advance the development of our Kerr space-time perturbation theory based approach (the Teukolsky formalism) in the time-domain to tackle a variety of challenging problems such as: high-accuracy gravitational waveform generation and the development of effective-one-body models, that will ultimately positively impact the data analysis of current and future observatories; understanding the "anti-kick" which is an intriguing aspect of the phenomenon of gravitational recoil observed in such binary systems; validating full numerical relativity simulations; testing the Cosmic Censorship Conjecture in the context of the capture of a small test particle by a near extremal Kerr black hole, and more. Thus, our research activities will contribute to a number of challenging and important problems in the area of gravitational wave physics.Our research work will involve undergraduate and graduate students throughout, therefore directly contributing to the education and training mission of the university. In addition, the proposed research will establish new collaborations, between individuals and institutions. We will also frequently participate in outreach activities thus promoting science awareness and public knowledge on current scientific research. Such outreach will be done through media interviews and stories and also through a dedicated publicly accessible website. We will also establish a "waveform server" that would freely allow any user to generate the gravitational waves for any large mass-ratio black hole binary system using a simple web based interface. In this manner, any individual would be in a position to make use such data for a project or a study of their own interest. Lastly, because our research activities will contribute to the development of broad mathematical, computational and web-related tools, and also to the education and training of students, this project's impact will likely extend beyond its research area and thus potentially benefit other scientific and engineering disciplines. The mathematical and computational skills developed by the supported students will open them up to possible employment to a wide variety of technical positions, including those associated with great current national need.