Jonathan Blackman

Caltech | TAPIR | SXS | LIGO | Burke Institute

Contact
Jonathan Blackman
Caltech
1200 E. California Blvd
MC 103-33
Pasadena, CA 91125

jblackman {at} tapir.caltech.edu
626-395-4841
Office: 360 Cahill
I was a PhD student in the TAPIR group at Caltech advised by Christian Ott from 2012 to May 2017, when I successfully defended my thesis. My primary research interest is the two-body problem in general relativity (GR): the dynamics and mergers of two black holes.

Numerical relativity simulations are the primary tool for investigating these highly dynamical, strong field events, and I use the Spectral Einstein Code (SpEC) as part of the Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes (SXS) collaboration. Gravitational wave detections and measurements allow us to connect theory with observation and perform tests of GR, which requires a precise knowledge of the theoretical waveform.

The focus of my thesis has been to build accurate waveform models using numerical relativity simulations. A rich mode structure, precession of the orbital plane due to misaligned spins and the gravitational wave memory are all dependent on the mass ratio of the black holes and their spin vectors, as well as any eccentricity in the orbit.