Descripción del proyecto
El afán por observar los agujeros negros binarios
Los agujeros negros binarios masivos son los objetos astrofísicos más extremos y fascinantes del universo, pero también los más difíciles de observar. Su observación marcará un hito en la astronomía moderna y proporcionará una pieza clave del rompecabezas teórico de la formación de galaxias. La fusión de agujeros negros no solo emite rayos X muy brillantes, sino que además es la fuente más potente de ondas gravitatorias del universo. El proyecto B Massive, financiado con fondos europeos, empleará un método único que combina la astrofísica teórica, la astronomía de ondas gravitatorias y radioeléctricas y la astronomía de fenómenos transitorios con técnicas de análisis de datos de última generación. Los objetivos del proyecto son observar agujeros negros binarios masivos, comprender y delimitar su dinámica y proporcionar un terreno fértil para la detección directa de ondas gravitatorias utilizando matrices de temporización de púlsares.
Objetivo
Massive black hole binaries (MBHBs) are the most extreme, fascinating yet elusive astrophysical objects in the Universe. Establishing observationally their existence will be a milestone for contemporary astronomy, providing a fundamental missing piece in the puzzle of galaxy formation, piercing through the (hydro)dynamical physical processes shaping dense galactic nuclei from parsec scales down to the event horizon, and probing gravity in extreme conditions.
We can both see and listen to MBHBs. Remarkably, besides arguably being among the brightest variable objects shining in the Cosmos, MBHBs are also the loudest gravitational wave (GW) sources in the Universe. As such, we shall take advantage of both the type of messengers – photons and gravitons – they are sending to us, which can now be probed by all-sky time-domain surveys and radio pulsar timing arrays (PTAs) respectively.
B MASSIVE leverages on a unique comprehensive approach combining theoretical astrophysics, radio and gravitational-wave astronomy and time-domain surveys, with state of the art data analysis techniques to: i) observationally prove the existence of MBHBs, ii) understand and constrain their astrophysics and dynamics, iii) enable and bring closer in time the direct detection of GWs with PTA.
As European PTA (EPTA) executive committee member and former I
International PTA (IPTA) chair, I am a driving force in the development of pulsar timing science world-wide, and the project will build on the profound knowledge, broad vision and wide collaboration network that established me as a world leader in the field of MBHB and GW astrophysics. B MASSIVE is extremely timely; a pulsar timing data set of unprecedented quality is being assembled by EPTA/IPTA, and Time-Domain astronomy surveys are at their dawn. In the long term, B MASSIVE will be a fundamental milestone establishing European leadership in the cutting-edge field of MBHB astrophysics in the era of LSST, SKA and LISA.
Ámbito científico
Palabras clave
Programa(s)
Régimen de financiación
ERC-COG - Consolidator GrantInstitución de acogida
20126 MILANO
Italia