Special Astronomy & Astrophysics Seminar: Simulations of colliding black holes: Studying Einstein’s equations and the universe

Abstract:

Inspiraling and merging black holes are the general relativistic analog of the Newtonian two-body problem, and the past years have seen rapid continued progress in direct numerical simulations of this process.  This talk outlines the basic techniques of black hole simulations.  I will then give a survey of how such simulations combine with analytical and experimental tools to elucidate properties and dynamics of strongly curved space-time, including the role they play in the recent observation of gravitational waves by the LIGO gravitational wave observatories.

Seminar Organizer: Prof. Sara Beck