Problems in computational relativity

这项建议所要求的资金支持的研究将使由肖普图伊克领导的UBC数值相对论小组保持和发展其作为世界领先的计算相对论研究中心之一的声誉。计算相对论(又名数值相对论)，是爱因斯坦场方程-据我们所知，它提供了对相对论(即“后牛顿”)引力的正确经典描述-就像数值天气预报对于气象学一样。数值相对主义者，比如那些在肖普图克团队工作并开始接受培训的人，使用超级计算机来模拟像两个黑洞或两个中子星相撞这样的灾难性事件。但这样的研究具有加速地球引力辐射发现的巨大潜力--近90年前，爱因斯坦自己首次预测了引力辐射，但尽管迄今在引力波探测器上投入了数十亿美元，但至今仍未被观测到。然而，肖普图克整个研究计划的主要动机将继续是详细了解强场引力的本质的愿望，记住理解动力学、强场引力仍然是理论物理的伟大前沿之一，尽管至少有一些弦理论家声称！将被模拟的具体物理场景包括中子星-中子星，或中子星-黑洞双星，在引力辐射诱导的激发的后期阶段，以及更具理论性质的场景，例如动态不稳定的“黑弦”的最终命运。这项提议支持的许多计算将在超大型计算机上运行，典型的单个作业将在100个或更多处理器上同时运行。

The research supported by funds requested in this proposal will enable the numerical relativity group at UBC, lead by Choptuik, to maintain and build on its reputation as one of the world's leading centers for research in computational relativity. Computational relativity (a.k.a. numerical relativity), is to the Einstein field equations---which, so far as we know, provide the correct classical description of relativistic (that is, "post-Newton") gravitation---as numerical weather forecasting is to meteorology. Numerical relativists, such as those working and begin trained in Choptuik's group, use supercomputers to model such cataclysmic events as the collision of two black holes, or two neutron stars.  Such studies have the  potential to accelerate the terrestrial discovery of gravitational radiation--first predicted by Einstein himself almost 90 years ago, but as yet unobserved despite the investment of the order of billions of dollars to date on gravitational wave detectors. However, the prime motivator for  Choptuik's research program as a whole will continue to be a desire to understand, in detail, the nature of strong field gravity, bearing in mind that understanding dynamical, strong field gravity remains one of the great frontiers of theoretical physics, claims of at least some string theorists notwithstanding! Specific physical scenarios that will be modelled include neutron star-neutron star, or neutron star-black hole binaries, in the late stages of gravitional-radiation induced inspiral, as well as scenarios of a more theoretical nature, such as the ultimate fate of a dynamically unstable "black string". Many of the calculations supported by this proposal will be run on extremely large computers, with typical single jobs running simultaneously on 100 processors or more.