The Hunt for Gravitational Waves and Black Holes

Connections for Women: Mathematical General Relativity September 03, 2013 - September 04, 2013

September 04, 2013 (10:45 AM PDT - 11:45 AM PDT)

Speaker(s): Deirdre Shoemaker (Georgia Institute of Technology)
Location: SLMath: Eisenbud Auditorium

Primary Mathematics Subject Classification No Primary AMS MSC

Secondary Mathematics Subject Classification No Secondary AMS MSC

Video

v1157

Abstract

Einstein's theory of General Relativity predicts a Cosmos with black holes and gravitational waves. Although neither black holes nor gravitational waves have been directly detected, their presence is already felt throughout the Universe. This decade will witness observations for which gravitational waves are the messengers that deliver information in exquisite detail about astrophysical phenomena, among them the collision of two black holes, a system completely invisible to the eyes of traditional telescopes. Models that predict gravitational wave signals from likely sources are crucial for the success of this endeavor. Modeling sources of gravitational radiation requires solving the Eintein equations of General Relativity using powerful computer hardware and sophisticated numerical algorithms. In this talk I will review these challenges, how we have overcome them, and what we have learned along the way. Our predictions of the gravitational waves from the black holes collisions is one pivotal step in ushering in the new era of gravitational-wave astronomy.

Supplements

	Shoemaker 23.8 MB application/pdf	Download

Video/Audio Files

v1157

H.264 Video	v1157.m4v 353 MB video/mp4 rtsp://videos.msri.org/data/000/017/705/original/v1157.m4v	Download
Quicktime	v1157.mov 510 MB video/quicktime rtsp://videos.msri.org/data/000/017/706/original/v1157.mov	Download

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