General Relativistic, Radiative Magnetohydrodynamic Simulations of Compact Binary Mergers

Zachariah Etienne博士被授予NSF天文学和天体物理学博士后奖学金，在伊利诺伊大学香槟分校（UIUC）开展研究和教育计划。Etienne博士将对气体环境中的黑洞-黑洞双星（BHBH）合并以及中子星-中子星星（NSNS），黑洞-中子星星（BHNS）和白矮星-中子星星（WDNS）合并进行全面的广义相对论模拟。为了逼真地模拟这些系统，PI将开发大规模并行的尖端模拟软件，首次纳入新的物理学，如现实的状态方程，辐射输运，磁流体力学和黑洞自旋。NSNS和BHNS双星合并是为伽马射线暴提供动力的最有希望的候选者之一。此外，这些紧凑的双星合并以及气体环境中的双星黑洞的电磁辐射特征可能会被传统望远镜探测到，例如费米伽马射线太空望远镜，哈勃太空望远镜和拟议中的大型综合巡天望远镜等。Etienne博士还将领导每年一次的七校巡回演讲。Etienne博士的讲座将在两个层面上进行准备-一个是为普通物理科学课程设计的，另一个是为物理和高级物理课程设计的。Etienne的紧凑型二元合并模拟的计算机生成的电影，由PI与伊利诺伊州数值相对论小组的本科生可视化团队的研究经验合作编写。在与UIUC物理伊利诺伊州合作伙伴计划和他的巡回演讲，PI将开发一个网站，提供一个互动的，多个“迷你课”介绍他的研究为学生和教师。

Dr. Zachariah Etienne is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC). Dr. Etienne will perform fully general relativistic simulations of black hole-black hole binary (BHBH) mergers in gaseous environments, as well as binary neutron star-neutron star (NSNS), black hole-neutron star (BHNS), and white dwarf-neutron star (WDNS) mergers. To model these systems realistically, the PI will develop massively parallel, cutting-edge simulation software, incorporating new physics for the first time, such as realistic equations of state, radiation transport, magnetohydrodynamics, and black hole spin. NSNS and BHNS binary mergers are among the most promising candidates for powering gamma-ray bursts. Moreover, electromagnetic radiation signatures of these compact binary mergers, as well as binary black holes in gaseous environments, are potentially detectable by conventional telescopes, such as the Fermi Gamma-ray Space Telescope, the Hubble Space Telescope, and the proposed Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, among others.Dr. Etienne will also spearhead an annual seven-school lecture tour. Dr. Etienne's lectures will be prepared on two levels--one designed for general physical science classes and the other for physics and advanced-placement physics courses. The lectures will be supplemented by computer-generated movies of Dr. Etienne's compact binary merger simulations, prepared by the PI in cooperation with the Illinois numerical relativity group's Research Experience for Undergraduates visualization team. In conjunction with the UIUC Physics Illinois Partnership Program and his lecture tour, the PI will develop a website that provides an interactive, multiple "mini-lesson" introduction to his research for students and teachers.