Numerical Simulations and Observations

该奖项支持多个项目，这些项目涉及双黑洞及其产生的引力波的计算机模拟，以及这些波形与LIGO数据分析的接口。项目包括为质量不等、自转和偏心的双星黑洞系统建模，提供波形，包括根据引力波数据分析中使用的测量方法对其质量进行评估，向天体物理学家提供有关黑洞冲击速度和自转的关键信息，估计以数字方式生成的双星黑洞波形的模板空间，以及通过简化实验(如扭曲黑洞和在强引力波存在下演化的黑洞)探索波形背后的物理原理。另一个目标是加强和加速数字相关性和数据分析之间的联系，并通过研究与普通公众建立更紧密的联系。该奖项支持的跨学科项目将数值相对论应用于天体物理和数据分析，为培训下一代引力波物理学家提供了理想的基础。该项目包括一个扩展计划，利用公众对黑洞的兴奋-以公众可访问的格式在网络上发布在追求双星黑洞合并的过程中产生的图像和电影，并提供公众有关该主题的其他资源的链接。即将探测到的引力波将打开一扇了解宇宙的新窗口。激光干涉仪引力波观测站(LIGO)等设施现已投入使用，正在对天空进行搜索。引力波搜索成功的基础是对产生引力波的源进行理论建模。在过去的一年里，数值相对论已经开始成功地解决了爱因斯坦关于最强引力波来源、最后几个轨道和两个黑洞俯冲的引力方程。结合引力波探测，这些模型通过解释自然告诉我们的关于引力的信息来探索广义相对论的奥秘。考虑到演化黑洞双星所需的时间和计算成本，随着探索更多的参数空间，成本将会增加，数值相关性和数据分析的耦合变得越来越重要。

This award supports a number of projects related to computer simulation of binary black holes, the gravitational waves they produce, and the interface of these waveforms with LIGO data analysis. Projects include modeling binary black hole systems of unequal-mass, spinning and eccentric binaries, providing waveforms including assessments of their quality based on measures used in gravitational-wave data analysis, providing crucial information about black-hole kick velocities and spins to astrophysicists, estimating the template space for numerically generated, binary-black-hole waveforms, and exploring the physics behind the waveforms through reduced experiments like distorted black holes and black holes evolved in the presence of a strong gravitational wave. An additional goal is to enhance and accelerate the connection between numerical relativity and data analysis and build stronger ties to the general public through research. The interdisciplinary projects supported by this award, applying numerical relativity to astrophysics and data analysis, form an ideal ground for training the next generation of gravitational-wave physicists. The project includes an outreach plan that capitalizes on the excitement the public has for black holes---publishing the images and movies that are generated in the pursuit of binary-black-hole mergers on the web in a format accessible to the general public, with links to other resources for the public on this topic.The imminent detection of gravitational waves will open a new window on the universe. Facilities such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) are now operational and searching the sky. Fundamental to the success of the search for gravitational waves is the theoretical modeling of the sources that produce them. Over the past year, numerical relativity has begun to successfully solve Einstein's equations governing gravity for the strongest source of gravitational waves, the final few orbits and plunge of two black holes. Taken together with gravitational wave detection, these models probe the mysteries of general relativity by interpreting what nature is telling us about gravity. Given the time and computational cost necessary to evolve the black hole binaries, a cost that will increase as more of the parameter space is explored, the coupling of numerical relativity and data analysis becomes increasingly important.