White Dwarfs Inspiralling onto Massive Black holes: Gravitational Waves and Electromagnetic Signatures

CGWP Seminar
by Dr. Alberto Sesana

On Tuesday, October 21, 2008, at 4:00 pm, in Whitmore 320

Gravitational wave observations will open a completely new window on the Unvierse. One of the most exciting prospects is the identification of an electromagnetic counterpart to some gravitational wave source. A white dwarf inspiralling onto a (moderately) massive black hole, would be a perfect observable candidate in both windows. I'll discuss the gravitational and electromagnetic signals, expected events rates, and implications for astrophysics and cosmology.