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[[File:{{#setmainimage:bh.png}}|alt=BlackHoles@Home logo image|center|frameless]]
{{Infobox software
| name                = BlackHoles@Home
| logo                = Bh.png
| logo caption        =
| screenshot          =
| caption              = Planned volunteer computing project for numerical relativity simulations
 
| status              = Not Started
| category            = Astrophysics
| compute              =
| dependencies        =
 
| developer            = Etienne Research Group (Prof. Z. Etienne)
| released            = Not released
| repository          = {{URL|https://github.com/nrpy/nrpy}}
 
| programming language = C, C++, Python (NRPy+ framework)
| operating system    =
 
| stats as of          =
| average performance  =
| active users        =
| total users          =
| active hosts        =
| total hosts          =
 
| rac                  =
| credit per day      =
| gpu performance      =
| cpu performance      =
 
 
| website              = {{URL|https://blackholesathome.net/}}
| license              = Open-source components (NRPy+, SymPy)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sympy.org/|title=SymPy Computer Algebra System}}</ref>
 
}}
 
[https://blackholesathome.net/ '''''BlackHoles@Home'''''] will be a '''''[[wikipedia:Volunteer computing|volunteer distributed computing]]''''' project seeking assistance in conducting black hole collision simulations. These simulations are intended to support analysis of gravitational wave observations of merging black holes.
 
[[File:Image.png|thumb|Numerical relativity grid structure used in modern simulations of compact binaries (illustrative).]]
 
__TOC__
 
== Overview ==
BlackHoles@Home is a proposed [[wikipedia:Volunteer computing|volunteer distributed computing]] project aimed at performing numerical simulations of binary black hole inspirals and mergers. The project is motivated by the need for large catalogs of gravitational waveform templates used in the interpretation of gravitational wave detections.
 
The project builds conceptually on advances in [[wikipedia:numerical relativity|numerical relativity]], the field of solving Einstein’s field equations using high-performance computation. These simulations are essential for modeling the strong-field regime of general relativity where analytic solutions are not available.
[[File:Black hole collision and merger releasing gravitational waves.jpg|thumb|Black hole collision and merger releasing gravitational waves]]
 
== Scientific Context ==
The two-body problem in general relativity—such as two orbiting black holes—requires solving Einstein’s field equations numerically. Unlike the Newtonian two-body problem, these systems emit gravitational waves, carrying away energy and angular momentum, causing the objects to inspiral and eventually merge.
 
The first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015 by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration confirmed long-standing predictions of general relativity and marked the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/detection-companion-papers|title=LIGO Scientific Collaboration – GW150914 discovery papers}}</ref>.


[https://blackholesathome.net/ '''''BlackHoles@Home'''''] will be a '''''[[wikipedia:Volunteer computing|volunteer distributed computing]]''''' project that needs your help to run Black hole collision simulations to maximize the science gained from gravitational wave observations.[[File:Image.png|thumb|<small>BlackHoles@Home numerical grid structure, which is ~100x more efficient than other techniques (requiring supercomputers), enabling black hole inspiral and merger calculations to be performed on consumer-grade hardware.</small>]]
== Why BlackHoles@Home? ==
== Why BlackHoles@Home? ==
The two-body problem, which governs the motion of two orbiting point masses bound by gravity, can be solved on the back of an envelope in Newtonian physics. In Einsteinian gravity, the two-body problem consists of two orbiting black holes. Due to the extreme complexity of solving Einstein's equations of gravity (general relativity), it took 90 years (1915-2005) to compute the motion of two orbiting black holes, and the feat was only made possible with the aid of supercomputers. Unlike Newton's understanding of gravity, general relativity predicts that two orbiting black holes will emit gravitational waves. Since this emission saps the orbital energy from the black holes, they will inspiral and merge to form a single, bigger black hole.
Accurate gravitational waveform catalogs are required to interpret signals detected by observatories such as LIGO and Virgo. These catalogs are typically generated using supercomputer-scale numerical relativity simulations.
 
BlackHoles@Home is intended to reduce the computational cost of such simulations by approximately an order of magnitude or more through optimized numerical grids and efficient coordinate systems.
 
== Methods ==
The proposed system relies on modern formulations of the Einstein field equations implemented in curvilinear coordinate systems, including spherical-like coordinates, which can improve computational efficiency in compact binary systems.


Ten years later, in 2015, the 90-year effort was validated: humanity directly detected gravitational waves for the first time, emitted from the inspiral and merger of two black holes. This Nobel Prize-winning discovery brought the field of solving Einstein's equations on supercomputers into mainstream astronomy, as the observed gravitational waves must be compared with catalogs of supercomputer simulations to extract important information about the black holes. As gravitational wave telescopes become more sensitive, we need to both greatly increase the size of these catalogs and improve the accuracy of the simulations.
The project is closely associated with the NRPy+ framework, an open-source symbolic code generation system that converts tensorial expressions into optimized C code using the SymPy computer algebra system<ref>{{cite web|url=https://github.com/nrpy/nrpy|title=NRPy+ Numerical Relativity Code Generation Framework}}</ref>.


BlackHoles@Home builds on efforts over the past 15 years to solve Einstein's equations on numerical grids that are roughly 100 times more computationally efficient than other techniques. Such improved efficiency, combined with advances in consumer-grade processors and memory chips, enables BlackHoles@Home to perform state-of-the-art black hole inspiral and merger simulations on consumer-grade desktops for the first time.
NRPy+ is designed to support numerical relativity research by automating derivation and optimization of evolution equations for Einstein’s equations.


In 2018, the idea behind BlackHoles@Home was first announced, and excellent progress toward our goal of launching a BOINC project has been made each year. We hope to have a fully functional and state-of-the-art app ready within the next year, and the BOINC project will be launched shortly after.
== Software and Infrastructure ==
If implemented, BlackHoles@Home would operate on the [[wikipedia:Berkeley Open Infrastructure for Network Computing|BOINC]] platform, allowing volunteer computers to contribute computational resources to large-scale simulations.


== Goal ==
BOINC has been widely used in scientific distributed computing projects such as SETI@home and Einstein@Home.
BlackHoles@Home aims to reduce the cost of numerical relativity black hole and neutron star binary simulations by ~100x, through adoption of numerical grids that fully exploit near-symmetries in these systems.


With this cost savings, black hole binary merger simulations can be performed entirely on a consumer-grade desktop (or laptop) computer.[https://etienneresearch.com/]
== Project Status ==
As of its last public description, BlackHoles@Home remains a planned project and has not yet been launched as an active BOINC project. Development efforts have focused primarily on the underlying numerical relativity software stack rather than a production volunteer computing deployment.


== Methods ==
== Team and Funding ==
BlackHoles@Home leverages recent advances in solving Einstein's equations in [https://github.com/zachetienne/nrpytutorial/blob/master/Tutorial-BSSN_formulation.ipynb solving Einstein's equations in singular curvilinear coordinates] (including spherical-like coordinates), to solve the dynamics of binary black hole inspirals and mergers on consumer-grade hardware. It makes extensive use of and was co-developed alongside our [https://github.com/nrpy/nrpy open-source NRPy+ code generation framework], which makes use of [https://www.sympy.org/ the free & open-source Sympy computer algebra system] to convert complex mathematical expressions into highly optimized C code. NRPy+ was written with BlackHoles@Home in mind as its primary application.
The project is associated with Prof. Z. Etienne and the Etienne Research Group. Funding sources have included NSF grant PHY-1806596, NSF EPSCoR Grant 1458952, and NASA grants 80NSSC18K0538 and 80NSSC18K1488.
 
== Related Work ==
* [[wikipedia:Numerical relativity]]
* [[wikipedia:Gravitational wave]]
* [[wikipedia:LIGO Scientific Collaboration]]
* [[wikipedia:BOINC]]
* [[wikipedia:Einstein@Home]]
 
== External links ==
* https://blackholesathome.net/
* https://github.com/nrpy/nrpy
* https://boinc.berkeley.edu/


== Project team / Sponsors ==
== References ==
Prof. Z. Etienne. Primarily funded by NSF grant PHY-1806596. It is also funded by NSF EPSCoR Grant 1458952 and NASA grants 80NSSC18K0538 and 80NSSC18K1488.
<references />

Latest revision as of 13:28, 29 May 2026











BlackHoles@Home
Project
StatusNot Started
CategoryAstrophysics
Development
DeveloperEtienne Research Group (Prof. Z. Etienne)
Initial releaseNot released
Repositoryhttps://github.com/nrpy/nrpy
Software
Written inC, C++, Python (NRPy+ framework)
Metadata
Websitehttps://blackholesathome.net/
LicenseOpen-source components (NRPy+, SymPy)[1]

BlackHoles@Home will be a volunteer distributed computing project seeking assistance in conducting black hole collision simulations. These simulations are intended to support analysis of gravitational wave observations of merging black holes.

Numerical relativity grid structure used in modern simulations of compact binaries (illustrative).

Overview

BlackHoles@Home is a proposed volunteer distributed computing project aimed at performing numerical simulations of binary black hole inspirals and mergers. The project is motivated by the need for large catalogs of gravitational waveform templates used in the interpretation of gravitational wave detections.

The project builds conceptually on advances in numerical relativity, the field of solving Einstein’s field equations using high-performance computation. These simulations are essential for modeling the strong-field regime of general relativity where analytic solutions are not available.

Black hole collision and merger releasing gravitational waves

Scientific Context

The two-body problem in general relativity—such as two orbiting black holes—requires solving Einstein’s field equations numerically. Unlike the Newtonian two-body problem, these systems emit gravitational waves, carrying away energy and angular momentum, causing the objects to inspiral and eventually merge.

The first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015 by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration confirmed long-standing predictions of general relativity and marked the beginning of gravitational wave astronomy[2].

Why BlackHoles@Home?

Accurate gravitational waveform catalogs are required to interpret signals detected by observatories such as LIGO and Virgo. These catalogs are typically generated using supercomputer-scale numerical relativity simulations.

BlackHoles@Home is intended to reduce the computational cost of such simulations by approximately an order of magnitude or more through optimized numerical grids and efficient coordinate systems.

Methods

The proposed system relies on modern formulations of the Einstein field equations implemented in curvilinear coordinate systems, including spherical-like coordinates, which can improve computational efficiency in compact binary systems.

The project is closely associated with the NRPy+ framework, an open-source symbolic code generation system that converts tensorial expressions into optimized C code using the SymPy computer algebra system[3].

NRPy+ is designed to support numerical relativity research by automating derivation and optimization of evolution equations for Einstein’s equations.

Software and Infrastructure

If implemented, BlackHoles@Home would operate on the BOINC platform, allowing volunteer computers to contribute computational resources to large-scale simulations.

BOINC has been widely used in scientific distributed computing projects such as SETI@home and Einstein@Home.

Project Status

As of its last public description, BlackHoles@Home remains a planned project and has not yet been launched as an active BOINC project. Development efforts have focused primarily on the underlying numerical relativity software stack rather than a production volunteer computing deployment.

Team and Funding

The project is associated with Prof. Z. Etienne and the Etienne Research Group. Funding sources have included NSF grant PHY-1806596, NSF EPSCoR Grant 1458952, and NASA grants 80NSSC18K0538 and 80NSSC18K1488.

Related Work

External links

References

  1. ↑ SymPy Computer Algebra System.
  2. ↑ LIGO Scientific Collaboration – GW150914 discovery papers.
  3. ↑ NRPy+ Numerical Relativity Code Generation Framework.
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