PIRE: Black Hole Astrophysics in the Era of Distributed Resources and Expertise

PI: Dimitrios Psaltis（亚利桑那大学）共同PI: shepherd Doeleman（哈佛大学）Charles Gammie（伊利诺伊大学）Daniel Marrone（亚利桑那大学）Feryal Ozel（亚利桑那大学）非技术解释：事件视界望远镜（EHT）是一个地球大小的望远镜阵列，旨在获得天体物理学黑洞的第一张图像，并在极端条件下测试爱因斯坦的广义相对论。该项目本质上是国际性和多学科的，涉及五大洲的望远镜和机构，需要从探测器开发到高性能计算和理论物理等领域的专业知识。PIRE项目团队将整合美国、德国、墨西哥和台湾的研究人员，将EHT等天文项目引入大数据和分布式数据科学时代。该奖项将资助探测器开发、协调观测、伙伴机构之间快速数据传输以及云计算等活动，以实现观测的科学潜力。项目活动、暑期学校和网络研讨会将为学生和早期职业研究人员提供国际合作，在最先进的仪器技术、高性能计算和大数据科学方面的实践经验。该计划还将为青年研究人员提供指导大型、复杂的国际合作的关键经验。根据该奖项开发的工具将公开提供给更广泛的社区，以直接使依赖分布式资源和专业知识的所有其他项目受益。第一张黑洞图像、计算机模拟的视觉震撼结果以及虚拟现实工具的使用将吸引公众参与黑洞迷人的天体物理学，并激励有抱负和未来的STEM学生。技术描述：EHT生成分布在全球范围内的数据和计算产品，其速度突破了当前共享和分析基础设施的极限。拟议的PIRE奖将通过资助以下活动来支持用EHT以前所未有的角度分辨率研究黑洞的目标：(i)提高观测效率的先进技术；（ii）用于优化全球运动的调度和触发的算法；（iii）促进参与机构之间快速传输和共享大量数据的基础设施；（四）云计算框架，通过支持先进的建模和分析工作，实现观测的科学潜力。国际合作伙伴为PIRE项目带来的独特机会包括开发加速全球数据、工具和资源共享的基础设施，以便从根本上改变利用EHT等国际和多方面合作的方式。该计划将在一个三大洲的项目中招收本科生、研究生和博士后，每年在四个成员国之间轮流举办暑期学校。这将通过每月的网络研讨会、黑客马拉松和合作机构之间的定期互访来加强。我们将使用先进的评估工具，监测和不断改进这项合作的教育成果。

PI: Dimitrios Psaltis (University of Arizona)co-PIs: Sheperd Doeleman (Harvard University)Charles Gammie (University of Illinois)Daniel Marrone (University of Arizona)Feryal Ozel (University of Arizona)Non-Technical Explanation:The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) is an Earth-sized array of telescopes that aims to obtain the first ever images of astrophysical black holes and test Einstein's theory of general relativity in extreme conditions. The project is inherently international and multidisciplinary, involving telescopes and institutions on five continents and requiring expertise in areas ranging from detector development to high-performance computing and theoretical physics. The PIRE project team will integrate researchers in the U.S., Germany, Mexico, and Taiwan and usher astronomical projects, such as the EHT, into the era of big and distributed data science. The PIRE award will fund activities in detector development, in mounting coordinated observations, in fast data transfer between partner institutions, and in cloud computing that will realize the scientific potential of the observations. The project activities, summer schools, and webinars will enable the education of students and early career researchers with internationally collaborative, hands-on experience in state-of-the-art instrumentation technology, high-performance computing, and big data science. The PIRE will also provide critical experience to young researchers in navigating large, complex international collaborations. The tools developed under this PIRE award will be openly available to the broader community to directly benefit all other projects that rely on distributed resources and expertise. The compelling combination of the first images of black holes, the visually stunning results of computer simulations, and the use of virtual reality tools will engage the public in the fascinating astrophysics of black holes and inspire aspiring and future STEM students.Technical Description:The EHT generates data and computational products distributed on a global scale at a rate that pushes the limits of the current infrastructure for sharing and analysis. The proposed PIRE award will support the goal of studying black holes with the EHT at unprecedented angular resolution by funding activities to develop: (i) advanced technologies to increase the efficiency of observations; (ii) algorithms for optimizing the scheduling and triggering of world-wide campaigns; (iii) infrastructure to facilitate fast transfer and sharing large volumes of data among participating institutions; and (iv) cloud computing frameworks to realize the scientific potential of the observations by supporting advanced modeling and analysis efforts. The unique opportunities that the international partners bring to the PIRE project include developing the infrastructure that accelerates the worldwide sharing of data, tools, and resources in order to fundamentally transform the way international and multifaceted collaborations, such as the EHT, are utilized. The proposed PIRE award will engage undergraduates, graduate students, and postdoctoral associates in a three-continent project with annual summer schools alternating between the four member countries. This will be augmented by monthly webinars, hackathons, and regular exchange visits among partner institutions. The educational outcome of this collaboration will be monitored and continuously improved by using advanced assessment tools.