Description:

The first simulations of the inspiral and coalescence of binary black holes were carried out almost twenty years ago. With that, numerical relativity transformed into a tool of gravitational astrophysics discovery. It has become an integral component in the characterization of the sources of gravitational waves. Numerical relativity simulations have also unveiled surprises, such as the large gravitational recoil of the black hole produced during binary merges. More recently, numerical relativity codes have experienced increased levels of sophistication in their ability to handle complex multi-physics, as required to study the merger of neutron stars. I will present results from two studies that further demonstrate the power of numerical relativity: one from the merger of black hole – neutron star binaries and the other from binary black hole mergers connected to scalar-tensor theories of gravity.

Speaker: Pablo Laguna, Professor, University of Texas, Austin

Host: Fred Rasio