Gravitational Wave Astronomy

Since the first detection of gravitational waves in 2015, gravitational-wave astronomy has matured into a fast growing field with far reaching implications for physics and astronomy. As of LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA's fourth observing run there are over 300 likely gravitational waves detected to date. We now routinely observe mergers of black holes and neutron stars, which continue to expand our view of the extreme physics in those compact objects, as well as the lives and deaths of the stars from which they formed. Gravitational waves and their counterparts are also a promising tool for cosmology. Our discovery potential continues to grow with improving detectors.

The gravitational-wave astronomy group at the CCA is helping shape this rapidly evolving field, using gravitational waves to probe physics, astrophysics and cosmology. We are involved in the detailed modeling of the formation and emissions (gravitational and otherwise) of sources of gravitational radiation, the development of sophisticated analysis methods for extracting and characterizing gravitational wave signals from noisy detector data streams, and the application of cutting-edge statistical techniques to characterize the population of gravitational wave sources, relating them to existing models and observations of stellar populations. Our interests span all sources of gravitational waves, being LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA, LISA or pulsar-timing sources.