LS 2019/2020
Previous years: LS 2018/2019
The goal of this class is to learn how to gain understanding of complex, unsolved problems with the origin and evolution of gravitational wave sources as a working example. The class will include order-of-magnitude exercises and literature reading. Credit will be given for class participation, homeworks, and final exam.
Class syllabus
- Existing and future GW detectors and their sensitivities (LIGO, VIRGO, PTA, LISA)
- Overview of existing detections in contrast to other known astronomical populations of compact objects
- Evolution of single stars to compact objects (white dwarfs, neutron stars, black holes)
- Evolution of binary stars to compact object binaries
- Unconventional binary star evolution, dynamical formation of binaries (captures)
- Physics of the merger
- Electromagnetic and multi-messenger signatures of the merger
- Introduction to the physics of astronomical transients
- Core-collapse supernovae
- The zoo of astronomical transients
- Future sources: stochastic GW from big bang, white dwarf binaries, supermassive blackholes, EMRIs
Lecture 1 (February 21 2020) – lecture notes
- Existing and future GW detectors and their sensitivities (LIGO, VIRGO, PTA, LISA)
- Overview of existing detections in contrast to other known astronomical populations of compact objects
Lecture 2 (February 28 2020) – lecture notes
- GW strain from gravitationally bound binaries
- GW decay timescale of binaries – additional materials
- Virial theorem
- Homework on globular clusters – virial theorem, mass segregation, evaporation, mean free path, etc.