Description:

The population of stellar mass black holes in the Milky Way is almost entirely unexplored. Only a dozen black holes are confidently known in our Galaxy -- all but one in binaries. As a result, many basic properties of black holes remain uncertain at the order of magnitude level, including the total number of black holes in the Milky Way, the mass function, the binary fraction, and whether black holes receive kicks at birth. To constrain these properties, we need to find and study a larger population of black holes, both in isolation and in binary systems. I will present theoretical and observational progress on our search for black holes using both gravitational lensing for isolated black holes and astrometric wobble for black holes in binaries. I will also present new instruments on the ground (e.g. Keck) and in space (CuRIOS, Roman) that will deliver high-precision astrometry and photometry needed to find and study Milky Way black holes.

Jessica Lu, Associate Professor, University of California, Berkeley

Host: Professor Giacomo Fragione