The future of gravitational-wave astronomy

Wed 1st May, 2019 @14:15 PM, level 7, David Caro Building
Dr Paul Lasky, Monash University

Email:  paul.lasky@monash.edu

Abstract

Gravitational-wave astronomy is now a reality. In the first two observing runs of Advanced LIGO and Virgo, there were ten detected black hole collisions, and one spectacular multimessenger detection of a binary neutron star merger. But what is next for this burgeoning field of gravitational-wave astronomy? I will discuss what we hope to learn from both black hole and binary neutron star collisions in the near future. This will include journeys into the exotic world of testing General Relativity in the ultra-strong field regime, and understanding bulk nuclear matter at supranuclear densities. I will also discuss the next generation of gravitational-wave instruments, and Australia’s potential to play a significant part in this global endeavour.