Projektbeschreibung
Nutzung von Gammastrahlen zur Erforschung von Gravitationswellen
Der Nachweis und die Charakterisierung von niederfrequenten Gravitationswellen können wichtige offene Fragen in der Physik, Astronomie und Kosmologie klären. In der Vergangenheit haben Forschende Radioteleskope eingesetzt, um nach einem Gravitationswellen-Hintergrund zu suchen, aber das Rauschen, das vor allem aus dem interstellaren Medium stammt, erschwert die Messungen. Das vom Europäischen Forschungsrat finanzierte Projekt GIGA zielt darauf ab, Gammastrahlen, die von diesem Rauschen nicht betroffen sind, zur Überwindung dieser Barriere zu nutzen. Das Projektteam möchte ein Ensemble extrem stabiler rotierender Neutronensterne aufbauen, um den Gravitationswellen-Hintergrund zu untersuchen. Es wird auch die Eigenschaften des interstellaren Mediums messen und die energieabhängigen Kopplungen von dunkler Materie erforschen. Die Ergebnisse sollen bahnbrechende Erkenntnisse über die Dynamik supermassereicher Schwarzer Löcher und ihrer Wirtsgalaxien liefern.
Ziel
When galaxies merge, do their central supermassive black holes also merge? How does the merger affect star formation and the evolution of galaxies? How does physics beyond the Standard Model of particles affect the Universe? The detection and characterisation of low-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) will address these fundamental and longstanding questions of astronomy and cosmology.
Supermassive black holes at the centres of merging galaxies are expected to form binary systems whose orbital motion generates GWs. A cosmological population of such systems combine to build up a GW background (GWB). Such a GWB is also expected if the Universe went through an inflationary period, providing a GW map just moments after the Big Bang. Pulsar timing arrays (PTAs), which are ensembles of extremely stable millisecond pulsars (rotating neutron stars), can be used to study this GWB.
Searches for the GWB have typically used sensitive radio telescopes. However, radio data exhibit complex noise processes, predominantly arising from the interstellar medium (ISM), that limit its sensitivity and introduce bias. Gamma rays are immune to the effects of the ISM and a gamma-ray PTA can overcome several of the limitations affecting radio data. GIGA will (a) establish a gamma-ray PTA and independently detect the GWB, (b) develop advanced inference techniques to distinguish its astrophysical origins, (c) measure properties of the ISM through multiwavelength studies, and (d) explore energy-dependent couplings of dark matter. Through these avenues, GIGA will also maximise the sensitivity of radio PTAs and provide crucial validation of their measurements.
The detection of the GWB will provide the first stringent constraints on the dynamical evolution of supermassive black holes and their host galaxies while advanced inferences techniques will aid in disentangling weaker astrophysical sources including cosmic strings and phase transitions, thus probing physics beyond the Standard Model.
Wissenschaftliches Gebiet
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyobservational astronomygravitational waves
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyobservational astronomyradio astronomy
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyphysical cosmologybig bang
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysicsblack holes
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyplanetary sciencescelestial mechanics
Schlüsselbegriffe
Programm/Programme
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Thema/Themen
Finanzierungsplan
HORIZON-ERC - HORIZON ERC GrantsGastgebende Einrichtung
3526 KV Utrecht
Niederlande