Gravitational-wave Astrophysics
| Date/Time: | Monday, 26 Sep 2016 from 4:10 pm to 5:00 pm |
|---|---|
| Location: | Phys 0003 |
| Contact: | Gloria Oberender |
| Phone: | 515-294-5441 |
| Channel: | College of Liberal Arts and Sciences |
| Actions: | Download iCal/vCal | Email Reminder |
Abstract: In 1916 Albert Einstein demonstrated that the theory of general relativity allows for wave-like, space time perturbations propagating with the speed of light. However, because of the extreme weakness of gravity, their detection looked like an impossible task. Gravitational waves even became a matter of controversy with Einstein himself becoming convinced they might not exist. It took several decades before the first attempts to detect gravitational waves were made by Joseph Weber. Later, the orbital decay of the PSR B1913+16 binary pulsar provided an indirect proof of their existence, but direct detection still remained elusive. The long quest to detect gravitational waves finally ended on February 11, 2016, when scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Scientific Collaboration and the Virgo Collaboration announced the first observation of a gravitational-wave signal from a merger of two stellar mass black holes.
LIGO's observation marks the beginning of gravitational-wave astrophysics, a new way to explore the sky which will deepen our understanding of the cosmos and lead to unexpected discoveries. It yields the first test of Einstein's general relativity under dynamical, extreme-gravity conditions.
It provides important information about the astrophysics of stellar mass black holes, their physical structure and origin. It can be used to test General Relativity as well as fundamental physics.
In the next few years, Advanced LIGO and Virgo will detect hundreds of signals, allowing scientists to map the dark, gravitational universe. How many black holes populate the sky? How do they form and merge? What are gamma-ray bursts? What is the equation of state of neutron stars? Is General Relativity the correct theory of gravity in strong regimes? These are just a few of the unanswered questions that gravitational-wave astronomy will help to answer.
Bio: Marco Cavaglia is Associate Professor of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Mississippi. A native of Italy, he earned a Ph.D. in Astrophysics at the International School for Advanced Studies in Trieste.
Before joining the faculty at the University of Mississippi in 2004, he held positions as research scientist at Tufts University, the Albert Einstein Institut in Germany, the University of Beira Interior in Portugal and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and was Lecturer at the University of Portsmouth, UK. During his career, Dr. Cavaglia authored over 150 publications in peer-reviewed journals and was the recipient of several research awards. His scientific interests are in gravitational physics, astrophysics, theoretical physics, and education and public outreach. Dr. Cavaglia has been a member of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory Scientific Collaboration (LSC) since 2007.
He currently serves as LSC Assistant Spokesperson.