Investigations in Relativity

North Carolina State University, Raleigh NC

Investigators

Abstract

This award supports the development and implementation of numerical techniques for solving Einstein's equations of general relativity with the goal of developing accurate and reliable computer models for black hole collisions. Computer modeling will play an important role in understanding the data gathered by the ground-based LIGO gravitational wave detector, as well as the proposed space-based detector LISA. The most common source of gravitational waves for both types of detector is expected to be collisions among black holes. This work for a source common to both will help foster communication and interaction between the ground-based and space-based gravitational wave communities. This project will also provide students with valuable skills in physics, computational science, and mathematics.