Research in Black-Hole Physics and Relativistic Astrophysics

该奖项将支持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。其中一个重点是跟踪双黑洞系统的合并和合并，并计算这些过程所发射的引力波形。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。这个问题的数值解被证明是非常困难的，但最近的突破导致了惊人的进展。 研究人员将使用一种计算技术，伪谱配置，它提供了高精度，比其他技术的计算成本小得多。研究的第二个重点是研究包含一个中子星星和一个黑洞或两个中子星的双星系统的合并和合并。这些也是LIGO的主要科学目标。第三个项目是研究中子星的r模。这是一种中子星的振荡，因其与地球大气中的罗斯贝波相似而得名。研究人员将确定这些振荡对设定观测到的双星和低质量X射线双星的自旋速率的影响，以及它们是否可以为LIGO带来可检测的信号。这项研究将对我们对基础物理的理解产生广泛的影响。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。

Project SummaryThis award will support 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. One 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, but recent breakthroughs have led to spectacular progress. The investigators will use a computational technique, pseudospectral collocation, that delivers high accuracy with a much smaller computational cost than other techniques. A second focus of the research is to study the coalescence and merger of binary systems containing a neutron star and a black hole, or two neutron stars. These are also prime scientific targets for LIGO. The third project is to study r-modes in neutron stars. These are a kind of oscillation of neutron stars, named for their similarity to Rossby waves in the Earth's atmosphere. The investigators will determine the effect of these oscillations on setting the spin rate of observed pulsars and low-mass X-ray binaries, and whether they can lead to detectable signals for LIGO.This 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.