Black Hole Physics and Computer Graphics

Abstract

Black holes are among the most extreme objects known to exist. As such, they are excellent laboratories for testing fundamental theories and studying matter in conditions that cannot be found anywhere else. In this article, we highlight the relevance of black holes in modern physical research and present a way to advance our understanding with numerical simulations. We briefly review dynamical-spacetime General-Relativistic-Magneto-HydroDynamic (GRMHD) calculations as fundamental tools to study the local properties of black holes and matter around them. Then, we discuss the need for general-relativistic radiation-transport to propagate the local information about light obtained with GRMHD simulations to our telescopes. Finally, we present our work on accretion onto binary black holes. The goal of our paper is to introduce the reader to some of the methods in current black hole research and to show how improvements in hardware and software for computer graphics support advancements in the field.