LS 2018/2019: NTMF090 – Astrophysics of Gravitational Wave Sources


LS 2018/2019: Thursdays 10:40 – 12:10 in KVAS at ÚTF

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 19 2019) – 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 2019) – lecture notes

  • how to approach complex, unsolved problems
  • GW strain from gravitationally bound binaries
  • GW decay timescale of binaries
  • Separation of timescales in stars
  • Basics of stellar structure
  • Homology relations
  • Overview of standard stellar evolution
  • Reading for Lecture 3: Toward Realistic Progenitors of Core-collapse Supernovae

Lecture 3 (March 7 2019) – lecture notes

Lecture 4 (March 14 2019) – lecture notes

Lecture 5 (SPECIAL DATE: 12:00 on March 22 2019)

Lecture 6 (March 28 2019) – lecture notes

Lecture 7 outline (April 4 2019) – lecture notes

  • Common envelope
  • Chemically-homogeneous evolution

Lecture 8 (April 11 2019) – lecture notes

Lecture 9 (May 2 2019) – lecture notes

  • Merger, tidal disruption, plunge
  • Subsequent evolution of the remnant

Lecture 10 (SPECIAL DATE: 12:00 May 3 2019) – lecture notes

  • Electromagnetic and multi-messenger signatures of the merger
  • r-process

Lecture 11 (SPECIAL DATE: 12:00 May 10 2019)

  • Physics of astronomical transients

Lecture 12 (May 16 2019)

Lecture 13 (May 23 2019) – lecture notes

  • GW170817
  • The zoo of astroomical transients
  • Future sources of GW