Project description
Accurate gravitational wave models could shed new light on compact binary systems
The detection of gravitational waves generated by the merger of neutron stars and black holes marked a new era in gravitational astronomy. Detailed analyses of the signal waveforms require accurate models. The EU-funded GWASTRO project plans to develop surrogate models that emulate prohibitively expensive simulations. These models are trained based on simulation datasets and could thus rival the accuracy of the simulations themselves. Accurate models of gravitational wave signals will help computational cosmologists and astronomers probe the physics of compact binary systems and maximise the scientific output of the multi-billion LIGO and Virgo experiments.
Objective
The era of gravitational wave astronomy has begun and has the potential to redefine our knowledge of the Universe. LIGO and Virgo are the most precise instruments ever built, but this is only the beginning for this field. The detectors are becoming ever more sensitive, and the next generation of detectors are already being planned. Coupled with these trailblazing experimental efforts, the promise of gravitational wave astronomy can only be fully realized if our models can keep up with the accuracy demands of the imminent high-precision era.
LIGO and Virgo hunt for gravitational waves from orbiting black holes and neutron stars; these compact objects lose energy through gravitational waves, spiral in towards each other and eventually merge. To analyze the data from the detections, it is crucial to have an accurate model of the expected gravitational waves. The merger process is highly dynamical and numerical simulations involving the Einstein equations are the only means to predict the gravitational waves from the merger. However, these simulations are too expensive for direct data analysis applications, each taking a month on a supercomputer. Therefore, fast but approximate waveform models that are calibrated against these simulations have been developed over the years, but these models do not currently capture all of the physics present in the simulations.
Surrogate models take a data-driven approach to modeling, and are trained directly against numerical simulations without the need for additional assumptions. As a result, these models can even rival the simulations themselves in accuracy. In this project, I will develop novel surrogate models that capture the full physics of compact binary systems. Therefore, this project will ensure that our gravitational wave models are ready to maximize the science output of the multi-billion-Euro experimental efforts and realize the great promise of gravitational wave astronomy.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
- natural sciencescomputer and information sciencesdata science
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyobservational astronomygravitational waves
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomystellar astronomyneutron stars
- natural sciencesphysical sciencesastronomyastrophysicsblack holes
- engineering and technologyelectrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineeringelectronic engineeringcomputer hardwaresupercomputers
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Programme(s)
Funding Scheme
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinator
80539 Munchen
Germany