Michele's wiki/blog

Authors: Pedro Marronetti, Wolfgang Tichy, Bernd Bruegmann, Jose Gonzalez, Mark Hannam, Sascha Husa, Ulrich Sperhake

Date: Mon, 22 Jan 2007

Abstract: Binary black hole simulations have traditionally been computationally very expensive: current simulations are performed in supercomputers involving dozens if not hundreds of processors, thus systematic studies of the parameter space of binary black hole encounters still seem prohibitive with current technology. Here we present results obtained using dual processor workstations with comparable quality to those obtained using much larger computer resources. For this, we use the multi-layered refinement level code BAM, based on the moving punctures method. BAM provides grid structures composed of boxes of increasing resolution near the center of the grid. In the case of binaries, the highest resolution boxes are placed around each black hole and they track them in their orbits until the final merger when a single set of levels surrounds the black hole remnant. This is particular useful when simulating spinning black holes since the gravitational fields gradients are larger. We present simulations of binaries with equal mass black holes with spins parallel to the binary axis and intrinsic magnitude of S/mˆ2= 0.75. Our results compare favorably to those of previous simulations of this particular system. We show that the moving punctures method produces stable simulations at maximum spatial resolutions up to M/160 and for durations of up to the equivalent of 20 orbital periods.

abs pdf