Maximiliano Isi, Center for Computational Astrophysics, Flatiron Institute, New York City,

"Gravitational-waves: the physics of black hole mergers"

Abstract: With the LIGO-Virgo detectors currently undergoing their 4th observing round, gravitational-wave astronomy has matured into a fast-developing field with broad implications for astrophysics, nuclear physics, gravity and cosmology. In this talk, I will focus on recent developments in probing the physics of black holes and their mergers with gravitational waves. This includes measurements of black hole spins and merger kicks, their use as cosmological probes, and the spectroscopic study of ringing black holes. I will outline some of the theoretical and observational questions driving this field: how do black holes form? Are they stable? Can we leverage them as probes of new fundamental fields or cosmic expansion? How does the nonlinear nature of gravity manifest in black hole mergers? I will conclude by arguing that we are at the cusp of observationally tackling these and many other questions as we enter the era of precision gravitational-wave science, with current and future observatories in space and on the ground.

Bio: Maximiliano Isi is a gravitational-wave astrophysicist using gravitational waves to learn about the nature of gravity, fundamental physics and cosmology. Max is currently a Research Fellow at the Center for Computational Astrophysics (CCA) of the Flatiron Institute in New York City. Before that, he was a NASA Einstein Fellow at MIT, where he was affiliated with the LIGO Laboratory and the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics. He obtained his PhD from Caltech in 2018, where he was also part of LIGO. He is currently a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the LISA Consortium.