Dynamical Formation and Evolution of Compact Binaries

该奖项是根据2009年《美国复苏和再投资法案》(公法111-5)提供资金的。凝聚致密双星是具有高度相对论轨道的黑洞或中子星的双星系统，是目前激光干涉仪探测器(如LIGO)最重要的潜在引力辐射源。引力波源的理论研究对于解释干涉仪收集的数据以及规划未来更先进的探测器是至关重要的。该奖项支持三个相关项目：(1)对包含黑洞和中子星的致密双星系统的最终合并进行数值计算，作为西北大学和佐治亚理工学院正在进行的合作的一部分，将使用现有的3-D相对论流体力学程序进行；(2)开发一种新的并行超级计算机代码，用于在完全广义相对论中模拟紧凑双星合并，将强大的基于粒子的流体动力学算法(“平滑粒子流体动力学”)与完全动态和非线性的时空处理相结合；(3)对密集星团中黑洞的恒星动力学模拟，其中频繁的动力学相互作用可能导致大量聚结致密双星的形成。聚结致密双星在天体物理的许多其他领域也很重要，如伽马射线爆发和星系中重化学元素的产生。即将开发的恒星动力学和相对论流体力学程序是通用工具，将有助于研究涉及相对论恒星和流体的许多其他问题。发展新的基于粒子的数值算法来研究高度非线性和复杂的多物理问题具有很强的跨学科特征，并有助于在引力物理、计算机科学和应用数学之间建立更紧密的联系。外展活动正在利用附近的芝加哥阿德勒天文馆和天文博物馆的资源，使研究成果和方法能够向广大和多样化的公众展示。

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). Coalescing compact binaries, binary star systems with black holes or neutron stars in highly relativistic orbits, are the most important potential sources of gravitational radiation for current laser interferometer detectors such as LIGO. The theoretical study of gravitational wave sources is crucial for the interpretation of data to be collected by the interferometers, and for the planning of future, more advanced detectors. Three related projects are being supported by this award: (1) Numerical calculations of the final mergers of compact binary systems containing a black hole and a neutron star, to be performed using an existing 3-D relativistic hydrodynamics code as part of an ongoing collaboration between Northwestern and Georgia Tech; (2) The development of a new parallel supercomputer code for simulating compact binary mergers in full general relativity, combining a powerful, particle-based algorithm for hydrodynamics ("smoothed particle hydrodynamics") with a fully dynamic and nonlinear treatment of space-time; (3) Stellar dynamics simulations of black holes in dense star clusters, where frequent dynamical interactions can lead to the formation of large numbers of coalescing compact binaries.Coalescing compact binaries are also important in many other areas of astrophysics, such as the study of gamma-ray bursts and the production of heavy chemical elements in galaxies. The stellar dynamics and relativistic hydrodynamics codes to be developed are general tools, which will be useful for studying many other problems involving relativistic stars and fluids. The development of new particle-based numerical algorithms for the study of highly nonlinear and complex multi-physics problems has a strong interdisciplinary character and can help establish closer ties between gravitational physics, computer science, and applied mathematics. Outreach activities are taking advantage of the resources of the nearby Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum in Chicago, allowing the research results and methodology to be presented to a large and diverse public.