Contact: barausse[AT]sissa.itLocation: Trieste, Italy
The observation of gravitational waves from binary black holes and neutron stars by the LIGO-Virgo scientific collaboration heralds a new era in astrophysics, in which gravitational radiation will probe the
universe in a new and complementary way to traditional telescopes. With several new detectors coming online soon, such as LISA, ET and Cosmic Explorer, these detections are just the beginning of an
exciting scientific journey that will unravel the nature of the most mysterious objects of our Universe, black holes.
One of the main scientific targets of new detectors are supermassive black holes, which are typically present in galactic centers and surrounded by astrophysical environments involving accretion disks,
dark matter, stars, and other smaller black holes. In order to fulfill the ambitious goals of gravitational-wave astronomy it is crucial to assess how these environments affect the gravitational-wave signal of
a binary coalescence. The 1st Trieste meeting on environmental effects on binary black holes will bring together experts on astrophysical and waveform modelling, and gravitational-wave data analysis to try to
answer questions like:
– What is the bias we incur if environmental effects are not properly modeled? Can they compromise tests of GR and the nature of compact objects?
– What are the limitations of current models for environmental effects and what are the best strategies to improve them?
– How do we efficiently include these effects in the state-of-the-art waveform models?
– With what precision will we be able to constrain the properties of astrophysical environments with future detections?
The meeting will be held at SISSA in Trieste (Italy) from June 7-9, 2023 and will be preceded by the mid-term meeting of the H2020-MSCA-RISE Network Gravitational Universe: Challenges and Opportunities (June 5-6). On the non-scientific side, Trieste is a vibrant multicultural city facing the charming azure of the Adriatic sea, with a rich history and plenty of leisure and cultural activities. It is particularly enjoyable in late spring.
Note that the number of registrations may be capped due to room capacity.