Dynamic Singularity Excision in Numerical Relativity
Open Access
Author:
Smith, Kenneth Lee
Graduate Program:
Physics
Degree:
Doctor of Philosophy
Document Type:
Dissertation
Date of Defense:
March 05, 2004
Committee Members:
Pablo Laguna, Committee Chair/Co-Chair Bernd BrÜGmann, Committee Member Abhay Vasant Ashtekar, Committee Member Steinn Sigurdsson, Committee Member
Keywords:
black holes classical general relativity numerical relativity singularity excision
Abstract:
We present here recent developments in the technique of singularity excision. With
the ultimate goal of developing a generic code which will evolve single or multiple-black
hole spacetimes until late times (with reference to the typical dynamical timescales of the
problem being studied), we focus our attention on the numerical treatment of the “inner”
boundaries of the black hole problem. The physical singularities inherent to black hole
spacetimes pose enormous difficulties to the numerical implementations of the evolution
equations, and, in general, should not be allowed to be part of the computational domain
of evolution. Of the several methods available for enforcing this, singularity excision is
one of the most straightforward to apply. We discuss the background, implementation,
and results of our dynamic singularity algorithm which allows for movement of black holes
through the computational grid and allows for long-lived evolutions of single and binary
black hole spacetimes under certain circumstances to be discussed within.
