Contact: alessandra.buonanno[AT]aei.mpg.deLocation: Santa Barbara, CA
KITP Rapid Response Workshop: Astrophysics from LIGO’s First Black Holes
Dear Colleagues,
We are writing to announce the workshop Astrophysics from LIGO’s First Black Holes, to be held at the Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics at the University of California, Santa Barbara, from August 1-12, 2016.
LIGO has announced its first detection of gravitational waves from the merger of two 30 solar-mass black holes, heralding the birth of gravitational-wave astronomy. The black holes that LIGO is now observing will drive a revolution in our understanding of the warped side of the universe and in the life and death of massive stars. When LIGO observed its first signal, its detectors were still a factor of three away from their design sensitivity – additional signals will be seen by the end of this year. This Rapid Response program will assemble a focused group of experts to discuss the scientific ramifications of LIGO’s detections and to anticipate the scientific opportunities from future observing runs. The central questions will include understanding how gravitational-wave observations can improve the astrophysical understanding of binary stellar evolution and the origin of binary black hole mergers.
The latest information about this program and a link to apply can be found online at https://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities/gwaves-m16. The KITP will provide lodging for invited participants. In order to apply, please fill out the online application at the link above by May 8, 2016. (Late applications will be considered as space permits.)
If you have any questions, please contact one of the coordinators below.
Sincerely yours,
Duncan Brown
Alessandra Buonanno
Daniel Holz
Eliot Quataert