Series: Astronomy Colloquium
Date: Wednesday 27-Sep-2023
Time: 16:05-17:00 (4:05-5:00 pm)
Location: ATL 2400
Speaker: Dr. Antonella Palmese (Carnegie Mellon)
Title: Probing the Universe’s expansion and the origin of compact object binaries with multi-messenger astronomy
The synergy between gravitational wave (GW) experiments, such as LIGO/Virgo, and optical sky surveys is prominent in the discovery of electromagnetic counterparts to GW events and the application of the standard siren method, which has already enabled several measurements of the Hubble Constant. Dark Energy Camera (DECam) follow-up observations of the first binary neutron star merger detected by LIGO/Virgo enabled the discovery of the first optical counterpart to a GW event and the first standard siren measurement, which we have updated using the latest afterglow constraints. We will continue searching for optical counterparts in the upcoming years with the Gravitational Wave Multi-Messenger Astronomy DECam Survey (GW-MMADS), which I will introduce. We have also extended the standard siren analysis to compact object binary merger events without electromagnetic counterparts using galaxy catalogs, for which I will present the latest results. In the last part of the seminar, I will talk about some interesting possibilities for the formation of the most massive binary black hole mergers detected so far which are related to galaxies’ central black holes, in particular those in disks of Active Galactic Nuclei. I will show how the various standard siren measurements presented could be promising tools to shed light on the Hubble constant tension in the coming years.
In-person colloquia are usually preceded by espresso and ice cream at 1:45 pm outside room PSC 1150 and are followed by an informal reception at 5:15 pm in that room. Anyone interested in talking with the speaker, or being added to the colloquium announcement email list, should contact the colloquium organizer Dr. Leslie Sage. Lunch will normally be reserved for the speaker to talk to graduate students. Anyone asking a question during a talk is asked to raise their hand and be acknowledged before speaking. Contact Dr. Leslie Sage for details.
Colloquium Organizer:
Dr. Leslie Sage
Special accommodations for individuals with disabilities can be made by calling (301) 405-3001. It would be appreciated if we are notified at least one week in advance.