Talk - 1 [2:30pm to 3:15 pm]
GW150914: Binary Black Hole Merger
Let us listen to the first symphony of the Universe!
Archana Pai,
School of Physics, IISER Trivandrum
On September 14, 2015, two LIGO detectors located in Livingston, Lousiana and Hanford, Washington observed gravitational waves from a black hole binary merger event located at 1.33 billion light years away in a distant galaxy. This is the first direct detection of gravitational waves and first evidence of black-hole binary merger. With this historical discovery, a new window of gravitational wave astronomy is opened to the universe. In this talk, I will develop necessary background of gravitational waves, optical laser interferometer as a gravitational wave detector and efforts which lead to this historic discovery.
3:15 pm to 3:45 pm : Tea break
Talk - 2 [ 3:45 pm to 4:30 pm]
Properties of GW150914
K G Arun
Chennai Mathematical Institute, Chennai
I will explain the important properties of the detected event (such as the masses and spins of the component black holes and that of the final black hole) and how they were estimated. I will also explain the importance of this discovery to astrophysics and how it was used to test Einstein's General Theory of Relativity.
Talk - 3 [4:35 pm to 5.00 pm]
The emerging field of Gravitational Wave astronomy
Resmi L
IIST
I will explain results anticipated from LIGO and other similar detectors in the coming years. I will also discuss the potential for combined Gravitational Wave and Electromagnetic observations for a variety of sources. Such a synergy can immensely enrich our understanding of the universe.
An informal interaction session organized by the Astronomy club will follow ( ~ 6.00pm)
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