When: Wednesday, May 10, 2023, 3:30 PM - 5:00 PMWhere: Physics (G. O. Jones building) Room 516 & online, Mile End
Speaker: Christopher Berry (Glasgow)
Gravitational-wave observations have revolutionised our understanding of binary black holes. Massive stars lead short lives, making it difficult to observe their evolution. However, we may infer their behaviour by studying the remnants they leave behind, such as black holes. Gravitational-wave astronomy is perfectly suited to the study of binary black holes. From the growing catalogue of gravitational-wave observations we can uncover new insights into the lives and deaths of massive stars, and the formation of binary black holes. I will explain how we can use gravitational-wave discoveries to constrain binary black hole evolution, and show that the black holes are likely from a mix of formation channels. We will soon enter an era where we will have precise constraints on the physics of binary evolution.