I Simulating GR: Worth the Effort?

[accdd]

I know that simulation of phenomena in general relativity is computationally complex. However, simulating the phenomena you are studying often helps. In your opinion, should I study methods to simulate what happens in relativity? Is it worth it? Or would it distract me from the theoretical aspects?
I only know the basic programming in python and julia.
I am studying GR from Carroll's book.

 

[vanhees71]

I'd say, if you are interested in numerical calculations in physics, it's a great time to do this in the field of general relativity right now. This field is "quite hot" at the moment due to the observability of gravitational wave signals from neutron-star mergers. It's also a fascinating, broad topic of (theoretical) physics, involving relativistic hydrodynamics and magnetohydrodynamics as well as the equation of state of nuclear matter (high-energy nuclear physics) with close relations to heavy-ion physics as explored at the LHC, RHIC and in the near future close to my home at FAIR.

Here's the website of my astrophysical colleagues, working in this field:

https://relastro.uni-frankfurt.de/

 

[PAllen]

If you search, you can find tutorials in numerical relativity by Luciano Rezzolla (see @vanhees71 link) that are among the best around for getting started on this (IMO). Maybe start with:

https://astro.uni-frankfurt.de/rezzolla/teaching/lecture-notes/

I like this one as a starting point:

https://itp.uni-frankfurt.de/~rezzolla/lecture_notes/2004/Frascati_collapse_0904.pdf

 

[berkeman]

Here's the website of my astrophysical colleagues, working in this field:

https://relastro.uni-frankfurt.de/

I love the ITP Calendar for Upcoming Events...

 

[robphy]

When results can’t easily be obtained by pure theoretical or mathematical methods, then (apart from actually building the system or finding the system and taking measurements of it) numerical methods are likely your only way to make progress.

Certainly, a detailed simulation (of any system) has a lot of complexity and may require many resources… but not every simulation has to be that detailed.

Here’s a new book by a colleague that may be helpful:
Numerical Relativity: Starting from Scratch
Baumgarte & Shapiro
https://www.cambridge.org/core/book...rom-scratch/FB5B832C4ED8EFE65A5834C6D6D4657D#

In my opinion, computation is a valuable skill not to be underestimated or undervalued, especially these days.