Northwestern Events Calendar

May
24
2016

Wen-fai Fong: Setting the Stage for the Era of Gravitational Wave Discovery

When: Tuesday, May 24, 2016
4:00 PM - 5:00 PM CT

Where: Technological Institute, F160, 2145 Sheridan Road, Evanston, IL 60208 map it

Audience: Faculty/Staff - Student - Public - Post Docs/Docs - Graduate Students

Contact: Monica Brown   (847) 491-7650

Group: Physics and Astronomy Astrophysics Seminars

Category: Academic

Description:

Title: Setting the Stage for the Era of Gravitational Wave Discovery


Speaker: Wen-fai Fong, University of Arizona


Host: Vicky Kalogera, Niharika Sravan, and Fani Dosopoulou

Abstract: 

The first advanced gravitational wave detectors are newly operational and have brought of the most anticipated discoveries of the century: the direct detection of gravitational waves. The premier gravitational wave sources are the mergers of two compact objects, involving either two neutron stars or a neutron star and a black hole. While the gravitational wave signal will give insight to the basic properties of compact objects, a coincident detection at electromagnetic wavelengths will significantly leverage the event by providing precise sky localization and an association to a galaxy. The main challenge will be how to identify the correct electromagnetic counterpart amidst an otherwise dynamic sky. In this talk, I discuss ongoing efforts to characterize the electromagnetic signatures from compact object mergers. In particular, I present observational evidence linking mergers to two distinct counterparts: short-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) and long-lived transients powered by the radioactive decay of heavy elements (kilonovae). I then address how these results can help us develop observing strategies for this revolutionary era of gravitational wave discovery.

 

 

BA

 

 

 

 

Keywords: Physics, Astronomy, Astrophysics

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