No Arabic abstract
This lecture is devoted to the problem of computing initial data for the Cauchy problem of 3+1 general relativity. The main task is to solve the constraint equations. The conformal technique, introduced by Lichnerowicz and enhanced by York, is presented. Two standard methods, the conformal transverse-traceless one and the conformal thin sandwich, are discussed and illustrated by some simple examples. Finally a short review regarding initial data for binary systems (black holes and neutron stars) is given.
The production of numerical relativity waveforms that describe quasicircular binary black hole mergers requires high-quality initial data, and an algorithm to iteratively reduce residual eccentricity. To date, these tools remain closed source, or in commercial software that prevents their use in high performance computing platforms. To address these limitations, and to ensure that the broader numerical relativity community has access to these tools, herein we provide all the required elements to produce high-quality numerical relativity simulations in supercomputer platforms, namely: open source parameter files to numerical simulate spinning black hole binaries with asymmetric mass-ratios; open source $texttt{Python}$ tools to produce high-quality initial data for numerical relativity simulations of spinning black hole binaries on quasi-circular orbits; open source $texttt{Python}$ tools for eccentricity reduction, both as stand-alone software and deployed in the $texttt{Einstein Toolkit}$s software infrastructure. This open source toolkit fills in a critical void in the literature at a time when numerical relativity has an ever increasing role in the study and interpretation of gravitational wave sources. As part of our community building efforts, and to streamline and accelerate the use of these resources, we provide tutorials that describe, step by step, how to obtain and use these open source numerical relativity tools.
This document proposes data formats to exchange numerical relativity results, in particular gravitational waveforms. The primary goal is to further the interaction between gravitational-wave source modeling groups and the gravitational-wave data-analysis community. We present a simple and extendable format which is applicable to various kinds of gravitational wave sources including binaries of compact objects and systems undergoing gravitational collapse, but is nevertheless sufficiently general to be useful for other purposes.
Gravitational waves deliver information in exquisite detail about astrophysical phenomena, among them the collision of two black holes, a system completely invisible to the eyes of electromagnetic telescopes. Models that predict gravitational wave signals from likely sources are crucial for the success of this endeavor. Modeling binary black hole sources of gravitational radiation requires solving the Eintein equations of General Relativity using powerful computer hardware and sophisticated numerical algorithms. This proceeding presents where we are in understanding ground-based gravitational waves resulting from the merger of black holes and the implications of these sources for the advent of gravitational-wave astronomy.
We discuss results that have been obtained from the implementation of the initial round of testbeds for numerical relativity which was proposed in the first paper of the Apples with Apples Alliance. We present benchmark results for various codes which provide templates for analyzing the testbeds and to draw conclusions about various features of the codes. This allows us to sharpen the initial test specifications, design a new test and add theoretical insight.
We produce the first astrophysically-relevant numerical binary black hole gravitational waveform in a higher-curvature theory of gravity beyond general relativity. We simulate a system with parameters consistent with GW150914, the first LIGO detection, in order-reduced dynamical Chern-Simons gravity, a theory with motivations in string theory and loop quantum gravity. We present results for the leading-order corrections to the merger and ringdown waveforms, as well as the ringdown quasi-normal mode spectrum. We estimate that such corrections may be discriminated in detections with signal to noise ratio $gtrsim 180-240$, with the precise value depending on the dimension of the GR waveform family used in data analysis.