Gravitational-Wave and Strong-Gravity Astrophysics

该奖项支持引力物理学的综合培训和研究计划，重点是引力波源和强引力源的天体物理学。该计划旨在为即将到来的先进地面引力波探测器的观测以及其他计划中的强重力系统天文测量做准备。它还补充了计算机模拟非常强的引力双星系统，比如相互绕轨道运行的黑洞。该奖项支持的研究将有三个主要组成部分：(1)研究黑洞摄动理论（即，当黑洞的时空被轻微修改时会发生什么），重点是如何使用该理论来改进和扩展现有的强场二元系统建模方法，称为“扩展单体”方法。(2)天文学与先进的地面引力波探测器。(3)测试一些想法，以便评估天体物理学上的黑洞候选者是否真的是广义相对论中的黑洞。这些研究项目的大部分工作将由研究生完成，本科生也会做出重要贡献。这项工作将有助于确保引力波探测器充分发挥其作为引力波天文台的潜力，开辟一个观测天文学的新领域。它还将帮助建立与其他正在开发的天文设施一起探测强引力的基础。该奖项将支持描述引力波科学的声音和视频目录的持续发展，可在URL http://gmunu.mit.edu上获得。该目录向更广泛的科学界通报了引力波科学的前景，是一种有效的公共宣传工具。在重力和引力波科学方面受过训练的科学家通常会发展出广泛的技能，使他们成为科学界有价值的成员。

This award supports an integrated program of training and research in gravitational physics, with a focus on the astrophysics of gravitational-wave sources and sources of very strong gravity. This program is designed to prepare for upcoming observations by advanced ground-based gravitational-wave detectors as well as other planned astronomical measurements of strong-gravity systems. It also complements computer simulations of very-strong-gravity binary systems such as black holes orbiting each other. The research supported by this award will have three major components: (1) Studies of black hole perturbation theory (i.e., what happens when the space-time of a black hole is slightly modified), with a focus on how this theory can be used to refine and extend an existing method for modeling strong-field binary systems called the "extended one-body" approach. (2) Astronomy with advanced ground-base gravitational-wave detectors. (3) Testing ideas that will allow assessment of whether astrophysical black hole candidates are truly the black holes of general relativity. The bulk of the work in these research projects will be performed by graduate students, with an important contribution from undergraduates.This work will help ensure that gravitational-wave detectors reach their full potential as gravitational-wave observatories, opening a new field of observational astronomy. It will also help develop the foundations for probing strong gravity with other astronomical facilities that are under development. This award will support the continued development of a catalog of sounds and videos describing gravitational-wave science, available at the URL http://gmunu.mit.edu. This catalog informs the broader scientific community about the promise of gravitational-wave science, and is an effective public outreach tool. Scientists trained in gravity and gravitational-wave science typically develop a broad range of skills, making them valuable members of the scientific community.