Numerical simulations of black-hole binaries and gravitational wave emission

We review recent progress in numerical relativity simulations of black-hole (BH) spacetimes. Following a brief summary of the methods employed in the modeling, we summarize the key results in two major areas of BH physics: (i) BHs as sources of gravitational waves (GWs) and (ii) astrophysical systems involving BHs. We conclude with a list of the most urgent tasks for numerical relativity in these areas.     

Probing the formalism through gravitational wave polarizations

The direct observation of gravitational waves (GW) in the near future, and the corresponding determination of the number of independent polarizations, is a powerful tool to test general relativity and alternative theories of gravity. In the present work we use the Newman–Penrose formalism to characterize GWs in quadratic gravity and in a particular class of f(R) Lagrangians. We find that both quadratic gravity and the f(R) theory belong to the most general invariant class of GWs, i.e., they can present up to six independent polarizations of GWs. For a particular combination of the parameters, we find that quadratic gravity can present up to five polarizations states. On the other hand, if we use the Palatini approach for f(R) theories, GWs present only the usual two transverse-traceless polarizations such as in general relativity. Thus, we conclude that the observation of GWs can strongly constrain the suitable formalism for these theories.     

Gravitational radiation from primordial helical magnetohydrodynamic turbulence

We consider gravitational waves (GWs) generated by primordial inverse-cascade helical magneto-hydrodynamical (MHD) turbulence produced by bubble collisions at the electroweak phase transitions (EWPT). Compared to the unmagnetized EWPT case, the spectrum of MHD-turbulence-generated GWs peaks at lower frequency with larger amplitude and can be detected by the proposed Laser Interferometer Space Antenna.     

Polarized cosmological gravitational waves from primordial helical turbulence

We show that helical turbulence produced during a first-order phase transition generates circularly polarized cosmological gravitational waves (GWs). The characteristic frequency of these GWs for an extreme case of the phase transition model is around 10(-3)-10(-2) Hz with an energy density parameter as high as 10(-12)-10(-11). The possibility of detection is briefly discussed.     

The Gravitational Waves from Test Particles around Black Holes Immersed in a Strong Magnetic Field

In this paper, we calculate the gravitational waveform from free test particles around Schwarzschild black holes immersed in a uniform strong magnetic field. By comparing with the cases of the Schwarzschild black holes, we find that for stable circle orbits, magnetic field can amplify amplitude and frequency of gravitational waves (here after GWs). For other general orbits, the uniform magnetic field also can amplify amplitude of GWs, enhance energy radiation of GWs and make it to shift to higher frequency. Another obvious influence of magnetic field B is that it can change the form of h _× component of GWs.     

A Gravitational Wave Background from Primordial Black Hole Lattices in Matter Dominated Era

We use the wide-used Einstein Toolkit to solve the Einstein constraints and then simulate the expansion of primordial black hole lattices (PBHLs) with different value of $f_{\mathrm{PBH}}$ and $m_{\mathrm{PBH}}$. We find that $f_{\mathrm{PBH}}$ plays an important role during the evolution of PBHLs. Since the motion of primordial black holes (PBHs) caused by the expansion of PBHLs occurs at speeds close to that of light, we expect the emission of gravitational waves (GWs) during the expansion of PBHLs. We use both analytical estimates and numerical simulations to cross check the production of GWs in expanding PBHLs.     

Towards the bounce inflationary gravitational wave

In the bounce inflation scenario, the inflation is singularity-free, while the advantages of inflation are preserved. We analytically calculate the power spectrum of its primordial gravitational waves (GWs), and show a universal result including the physics of the bounce phase. The spectrum acquires a cutoff at large scale, while the oscillation around the cutoff scale is quite drastic, which is determined by the details of bounce. Our work highlights that the primordial GWs at large scale may encode the physics of the bounce ever happened at about \({\sim }60\) efolds before inflation.     

Detecting super-Nyquist-frequency gravitational waves using a pulsar timing array

The maximum frequency of gravitational waves(GWs) detectable with traditional pulsar timing methods is set by the Nyquist frequency( fNy) of the observation. Beyond this frequency, GWs leave no temporal-correlated signals; instead, they appear as white noise in the timing residuals. The variance of the GW-induced white noise is a function of the position of the pulsars relative to the GW source. By observing this unique functional form in the timing data, we propose that we can detect GWs of frequency f_(Ny)(super-Nyquist frequency GWs; SNFGWs). We demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method with simulated timing data.Using a selected dataset from the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array data release 1 and the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves publicly available datasets, we try to detect the signals from single SNFGW sources. The result is consistent with no GW detection with 65.5% probability. An all-sky map of the sensitivity of the selected pulsar timing array to single SNFGW sources is generated, and the position of the GW source where the selected pulsar timing array is most sensitive to is λ_s =.0.82,β_s =-1.03(rad); the corresponding minimum GW strain is h = 6.31 × 10~(-11) at f = 1 × 10~(-5) Hz.     

Brightening of an accretion disk due to viscous dissipation of gravitational waves during the coalescence of supermassive black holes

Mergers of supermassive black hole binaries release peak power of up to approximately 10(57) erg s(-1) in gravitational waves (GWs). As the GWs propagate through ambient gas, they induce shear and a small fraction of their power is dissipated through viscosity. The dissipated heat appears as electromagnetic (EM) radiation, providing a prompt EM counterpart to the GW signal. For thin accretion disks, the GW heating rate exceeds the accretion power at distances farther than approximately 10(3) Schwarzschild radii, independently of the accretion rate and viscosity coefficient.     

宇宙起源与阿里原初引力波探测

20世纪建立起的宇宙大爆炸模型取得了巨大的成功,但仍期待着新的革命性的突破。探知宇宙起源及其演化是新世纪对全世界科学家的新挑战,其重要性在近期公布的中国“十三五”规划纲要中得到了高度的肯定。现代宇宙学理论,暴胀以及非奇异宇宙模型如反弹等,预言了原初引力波的存在,但至今还没有被实验证实。不同于近期LIGO合作组探测到的黑洞引力波,原初引力波是宇宙诞生时期产生的,携带着丰富的宇宙学信息,是引力波探测的全新波段,是引力波探测的下一个突破方向。文章简述了中国的阿里原初引力波实验计划及相关的科学问题。     

Relic Gravity Waves Investigation by Advanced Space-Based Gravitational Waves Detector

This paper focuses on the relic gravity waves produced during the transition from a radiation-dominated inflationary phase to a dust-dominated Friedman-Robertson-Walker-type expansion. We discuss how to investigate the spectral energy density by the latest space-based CWs detectors at f =0.1 Hz （i.e. DECICO）. In the case of power-law and exponential inflation, we apply the cross-correlation method to the latest detector and get the time dependence of the very early Hubble pararneter.     

Directional limits on persistent gravitational waves using LIGO S5 science data

The gravitational-wave (GW) sky may include nearby pointlike sources as well as stochastic backgrounds. We perform two directional searches for persistent GWs using data from the LIGO S5 science run: one optimized for pointlike sources and one for arbitrary extended sources. Finding no evidence to support the detection of GWs, we present 90% confidence level (C.L.) upper-limit maps of GW strain power with typical values between 2-20×10(-50) strain(2)?Hz(-1) and 5-35×10(-49) strain(2)?Hz(-1)?sr(-1) for pointlike and extended sources, respectively. The latter result is the first of its kind. We also set 90% C.L. limits on the narrow-band root-mean-square GW strain from interesting targets including Sco X-1, SN 1987A and the Galactic center as low as ≈7×10(-25) in the most sensitive frequency range near 160 Hz.     

Effects of hyperons in binary neutron star mergers

Numerical simulations for the merger of binary neutron stars are performed in full general relativity incorporating both nucleonic and hyperonic finite-temperature equations of state (EOS) and neutrino cooling. It is found that even for the hyperonic EOS, a hypermassive neutron star is first formed after the merger for the typical total mass ≈2.7M(⊙), and subsequently collapses to a black hole (BH). It is shown that hyperons play a substantial role in the postmerger dynamics, torus formation around the BH, and emission of gravitational waves (GWs). In particular, the existence of hyperons is imprinted in GWs. Therefore, GW observations will provide a potential opportunity to explore the composition of neutron star matter.     

New cosmic microwave background constraint to primordial gravitational waves

Primordial gravitational waves (GWs) with frequencies > or approximately equal to 10(-15) Hz contribute to the radiation density of the Universe at the time of decoupling of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). This affects the CMB and matter power spectra in a manner identical to massless neutrinos, unless the initial density perturbation for the GWs is nonadiabatic, as may occur if such GWs are produced during inflation or some post-inflation phase transition. In either case, current observations provide a constraint to the GW amplitude that competes with that from big-bang nucleosynthesis (BBN), although it extends to much lower frequencies (approximately 10(-15) Hz rather than the approximately 10(-10) Hz from BBN): at 95% confidence level, omega(gw)h(2) 相似文献   

Optical metrology for massive detectors of gravitational waves

The high level reached in the stability of laser sources and in the quality of optical components makes interferometric metrology appealing to those involved in the search for detection of gravitational waves (GWs). In this paper we present a readout for massive detectors of GWs, based on laser interferometry with high finesse Fabry–Pérot cavities, and describe the frequency stability of the laser source. The achievable sensitivity at the quantum limit level inherent to this technique requires a careful design, in order to reduce other sources of extra noise. In particular, we focus on the local effects of thermal and radiation pressure fluctuations and present an optical configuration that can reduce these effects below the quantum limit level.     

高斯束谐振系统对引力波频率和方向的选择效应

高斯束谐振系统为早期宇宙遗留的随机高频引力波的探测开启了一个非常重要的窗口.计算结果表明，当入射引力波频率和高斯束不同时，高斯束谐振系统产生的一阶扰动光子流没有观测效应；当入射引力波的传播方向与高斯束对称轴的正方向不同时，高斯束谐振系统产生的一阶扰动光子流将降低几个数量级，即高斯束谐振系统只对沿某一特定方向传播的高频遗迹引力波产生有效的响应.因此，高斯束谐振系统对高频遗迹引力波的频率和传播方向具有良好的选择效应. 关键词： 高斯束谐振系统 高频遗迹引力波 一阶扰动光子流 频率选择效应 方向选择效应     

A special form of electrodynamical response to a gravitational wave：outgoing and imploding photon fluxes

We have investigated the interaction of an electromagnetic (EM) wave with a standing gravitational wave (GW) in an external static magnetic field,and obtained concrete forms of first-order perturbative EM energy fluxes.Unlike the propagating properties of the “left-circular” and “right-circular” waves of the tangential perturbative energy fluxes around the symmetrical axis,the radial perturbative energy fluxes are expressed as the outgoing and imploding waves to the symmetrical axis.We also examine several physical examples and show that this effect can produce very small but nonvanishing radial perturbative photon fluxes.This may be useful for EM detection of the high-frequency relic GWs of the GHz region in quintessential inflationary models.     

Upper limit on gravitational wave backgrounds at 0.2 Hz with a torsion-bar antenna

We present the first upper limit on gravitational wave (GW) backgrounds at an unexplored frequency of 0.2 Hz using a torsion-bar antenna (TOBA). A TOBA was proposed to search for low-frequency GWs. We have developed a small-scaled TOBA and successfully found Ω(gw)(f)<4.3×10(17) at 0.2 Hz as demonstration of the TOBA's capabilities, where Ω(gw)(f) is the GW energy density per logarithmic frequency interval in units of the closure density. Our result is the first nonintegrated limit to bridge the gap between the LIGO band (around 100 Hz) and the Cassini band (10(-6)-10(-4) Hz).     

Multimessenger astronomy with the Einstein Telescope

Gravitational waves (GWs) are expected to play a crucial role in the development of multimessenger astrophysics. The combination of GW observations with other astrophysical triggers, such as from gamma-ray and X-ray satellites, optical/radio telescopes, and neutrino detectors allows us to decipher science that would otherwise be inaccessible. In this paper, we provide a broad review from the multimessenger perspective of the science reach offered by the third generation interferometric GW detectors and by the Einstein Telescope (ET) in particular. We focus on cosmic transients, and base our estimates on the results obtained by ET’s predecessors GEO, LIGO, and Virgo.     

Information on the inflaton field from the spectrum of relic gravitational waves

After a review of a traditional analysis, it is shown a variation of a more recent treatment on the spectrum of relic gravitational waves (GWs). Then, a connection between the two different treatments will be analysed. Such a connection permits to obtain an interesting equation for the inflaton field. This equation gives a value that agrees with the slow roll condition on inflation.