Blackhole Coalescence Simulation
Why have 1 when you can have 2
What it does
This project is an interactive visualization of two black holes merging, inspired by the binary black hole merger animations released by LIGO (https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/video/ligo20160211v3) after the first direct detection of gravitational waves. The goal was to recreate the different stages of a black hole coalescence while making the physics intuitive and visually engaging.
The simulation begins with two black holes orbiting each other in an inspiral phase. As they lose energy, they move closer together, eventually forming a common apparent horizon before relaxing into a single rotating (Kerr) black hole. The motion is driven by a simplified physics model based on orbital decay and merger dynamics.
To better illustrate the behaviour of spacetime, the simulation includes a deforming spacetime field, geodesic tracer particles, and gravitational lensing effects that evolve alongside the black holes. These visual elements are synchronized with the same underlying physics so that the merger appears as one continuous process rather than a series of scripted animations.
The project was built using React, Three.js, React Three Fiber, and custom GLSL shaders to achieve real-time rendering directly in the browser. The focus was on balancing scientific inspiration with performance so that the simulation remains interactive while conveying the key stages of a black hole merger.