Research in Black-Hole Physics and Relativistic Astrophysics

调查人员将进行相对论和相对论天体物理学的研究。这项研究的一个重要组成部分是通过超级计算机模拟爱因斯坦方程的数值解。重点是跟踪双黑洞系统的合并和合并，并计算由这种过程发出的引力波形。这些过程是目前正在部署的引力波探测器（如LIGO）的主要目标，迫切需要可靠的波形。这个问题的数值解已被证明是非常困难的。 研究人员将在这个问题上使用一种新的计算技术，伪谱配置。这项技术在物理科学的许多其他领域都取得了成功，并显示出数值相对论的巨大前景。这项研究将对我们理解基础物理产生广泛的影响。目前还没有真实的广义相对论在黑洞强场区的检验。对于像LIGO这样的实验来说，理论与观测的对抗，必须能够计算理论预测的内容。LIGO可能观测到的黑洞是爱因斯坦理论预测的黑洞吗？这项研究也将对更广泛的计算科学领域产生影响。这里发展的计算技术可以用来解决许多其他领域的问题，包括流体动力学、气象学、地震学和天体物理学。对受过这些技术培训的年轻研究人员的需求很大。

The investigators will carry out research in relativity and relativistic astrophysics. A large component of the research is aimed at the numerical solution of Einstein's equations by supercomputer simulations. The focus is to track the coalescence and merger of binary black hole systems and to calculate the gravitational waveform emitted by such processes. These processes are primary targets for gravitational wave detectors now being deployed, like LIGO, and there is an urgent need for reliable waveforms. The numerical solution of this problem has proved to be remarkably difficult. The investigators will use a new computational technique on the problem, pseudospectral collocation. This technique has been successful in many other areas of the physical sciences, and shows great promise for numerical relativity.The research will have a broad impact on our understanding of fundamental physics. There are currently no real tests of general relativity in the strong field regime of black holes. For experiments like LIGO to confront theory with observation, one must be able to calculate what the theory predicts. Are the black holes that LIGO may observe the black holes predicted by Einstein's theory? 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.