From Geometry to Numerics: a perspective from Gravitational Wave astrophysics

The study of astrophysical sources of gravitational radiation relies on the “isolated body” notion in General Relativity. Here we discuss some of the conceptual and “practical” issues in the geometric characterization and numerical modeling of these systems, with an emphasis on the astrophysical perspective. This discussion summarizes, from an astrophysicist's point of view, a more extended analysis developed by the authors in a related review article (cf. arXiv:0712.2332). The talk is structured in two parts. First, we illustrate a selection of points in the Geometry-Numerics dialog in General Relativity with the help of a paradigmatic example: the dynamics of a black hole. This will provide some taste on issues such as the nature of the Initial Value Problem in General Relativity, the problem of Cosmic Censorship in gravitational collapse, the formalisms for evolving the Einstein equation, or the complications when extracting astrophysical parameters (e.g. masses and angular momenta) from numerical relativity outputs. With the help of these glimpses, in the second part of the talk we will briefly present our specific line of research in numerical relativity, framing it in the landscape of gravitational wave physics. The latter stands as an emergent and interdisciplinary field of research, that could become a new and complementary avenue in astronomy in the following years.

 

Fecha: 
21/02/2008 - 13:00
Conferenciante: 
José Luis Jaramillo
Filiación: 
Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía - CSIC


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