Author
Bozzola, GabrieleIssue Date
2023Advisor
Paschalidis, Vasileios
Metadata
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The University of Arizona.Rights
Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction, presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author.Abstract
In this dissertation, I present the development and application of new mathematical and computational tools to study dynamical spacetimes with extreme gravitational and electromagnetic fields. I discuss and implement a formalism to generate initial data for general relativistic simulations of generic black hole configurations with charge. I introduce techniques to obtain stable quasi-circular inspirals and mergers and I perform the first simulations of this kind. I use these results to place the first constraint on the charge of astrophysical black holes and on specific modified theories of gravity using the gravitational wave event GW150914. I present and benchmark approximate methods to study these systems and derive an analytical technique to estimate the properties of the remnant left by a merger of charged black holes. I investigate ultra-relativistic collisions of charged binaries and discuss their implications for a variety of conjectures in theoretical and fundamental physics. I argue that in the full non-linear theory, neither ultra-relativistic collisions nor quasi-circular inspiral can overcharge a black hole and produce a naked singularity. Finally, I present new software for numerical relativity, including a novel code to perform ray tracing and radiation transfer. I use this code to describe some subtle features of general relativistic ray tracing.Type
Electronic Dissertationtext
Degree Name
Ph.D.Degree Level
doctoralDegree Program
Graduate CollegeAstronomy