WoU-MMA: Research in Black Hole Physics and Relativistic Astrophysics

该奖项支持相对论和相对论天体物理学的研究，并阐述了美国国家科学基金会“宇宙之窗”大构想的优先领域。这项研究的很大一部分是针对通过超级计算机模拟的爱因斯坦方程的数值解。这项研究将对我们对基础物理的理解产生广泛的影响。像LIGO这样的实验才刚刚开始在黑洞的强场区域对广义相对论进行第一次真正的测试。要用观察来对抗理论，一个人必须能够计算出理论所预测的东西。LIGO观测的黑洞是不是爱因斯坦理论所预言的黑洞？这项研究将对天文学产生影响。含有中子星的双星系统的合并可能会导致电磁和中微子信号的发射，以及引力波。随着更多这样的事件被看到，需要更好的模拟来帮助确定震源的性质。这项研究还将对更广泛的计算科学领域产生影响。这里将要开发的计算技术可以用来解决许多其他领域的问题，包括流体力学、气象学、地震学和天体物理学。受过这些技术培训的年轻研究人员需求量很大。相对论和黑洞继续吸引着公众，并使科学得以广泛传播。调查人员制作的模拟电影将继续为公众提供参考。为了求解爱因斯坦方程，调查人员将使用与方程的数学特性相适应的高精度计算技术。这些方法以比其他技术小得多的计算代价来求解方程。研究人员将在模拟中包括对微观物理的更现实的描述，如核物质的状态方程、中微子效应和磁场。研究人员还将开发一种新的计算天体物理学代码，旨在以现有代码无法利用的方式利用即将到来的亿级机器。这一新代码将基于不连续Galerkin方法和基于任务的并行。它不仅将为数值相对论提供变革性的能力，而且将为计算天体物理学中的许多问题提供变革性的能力。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award supports research in relativity and relativistic astrophysics, and it addresses the priority areas of NSF's "Windows on the Universe" Big Idea. A large component of the research is aimed at the numerical solution of Einstein's equations by supercomputer simulations. The research will have a broad impact on our understanding of fundamental physics. The first real tests of general relativity in the strong field regime of black holes are just beginning to occur with experiments like LIGO. To confront theory with observation, one must be able to calculate what the theory predicts. Are the black holes that LIGO observes the black holes predicted by Einstein's theory? The research will have an impact on astronomy. Mergers of binary systems containing neutron stars can lead to the emission of electromagnetic and neutrino signals, as well as gravitational waves. As more of these events are seen, better simulations are needed to help determine the properties of the sources. The research will also have an impact on the broader area of computational science. The computational techniques to be developed here can be used to solve problems in many other areas, including fluid dynamics, meteorology, seismology, and astrophysics. Young researchers trained in these techniques are in great demand. Relativity and black holes continue to fascinate the public and allow science to be communicated broadly. Movies of simulations produced by the investigators will continue to provide public outreach.To solve Einstein's equations, the investigators will use high-accuracy computational techniques suited to the mathematical properties of the equations. These methods solve the equations at a much smaller computational cost than other techniques. The investigators will include ever more realistic descriptions of the microphysics in the simulations, such as the equation of state of nuclear matter, neutrino effects, and magnetic fields. The investigators will also develop a new code for computational astrophysics that is designed to take advantage of upcoming exascale machines in a way that current codes cannot. This new code will be based on discontinuous Galerkin methods and task-based parallelism. It will provide transformative capabilities not only for numerical relativity, but for many problems in computational astrophysics.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.