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Caltech

TAPIR Seminar

Friday, February 28, 2025
2:00pm to 3:00pm
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Online and In-Person Event
Templates for all seasons?!? Gravitational waveforms from perturbation theory for LISA (and LIGO/Virgo/Kagra?!?)
Gabriel Piovano, Postdoctoral Fellow, Physique théorique et Mathématique, Université Libre de Bruxelles,

In person: 370 Cahill. To Join via Zoom: 868 5298 8404

ABSTRACT: At the heart of gravitational wave astronomy lies the two-body problem in General Relativity. Such a problem can not be solved exactly because of the inherently non-linear nature of the Einstein field equation. Instead, the problem can be solved approximately by employing complementary methods valid in different regimes. One of these methods is perturbation theory, which is well suited to model asymmetric binaries for large (or even extreme) mass ratios. Perturbation theory and self-force techniques can provide the most accurate gravitational waveforms for extreme-mass-ratio binaries, which are observable by forthcoming space detectors like LISA.

But can we use these techniques to model waveforms for less asymmetric or even comparable mass binaries? And how can we do that? What is missing?

In this seminar, I will review the recent progress in modeling asymmetric binaries with perturbation theory, focusing on the spin of the small body. Then, I will present the recent work (mostly in progress) done to extend self-force and perturbation theory waveforms for binaries detectable by current and future ground-based detectors.

For more information, please contact JoAnn Boyd by phone at 626-395-4280 or by email at joann@caltech.edu.