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SUMMARY:Gravitational Wave Astrophysics of Compact Binaries - Ilya Mandel 
 (Birmingham)
DTSTART:20130207T163000Z
DTEND:20130207T173000Z
UID:TALK39570@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Michele Trenti
DESCRIPTION:The first direct detection of gravitational waves from mergers
  of black holes and neutron stars by ground-based interferometric detector
 s LIGO and Virgo are anticipated in the next 5 years.  They will provide u
 s with a new probe on the Universe and enable us explore compact-binary as
 trophysics and strong-field general relativity. In this talk\, I review th
 e current\nknowledge of the coalescence rates and parameter distributions 
 of merging neutron-star and black-hole binaries and the data-analysis chal
 lenges associated with finding their signatures in noisy data.   I emphasi
 ze the bi-directional connection between gravitational-wave astronomy and 
 conventional astrophysics.  I report on ongoing efforts to develop a frame
 work for converting gravitational-wave observations into improved constrai
 nts on astrophysical parameters and discuss future developments necessary 
 to the success of gravitational-wave astronomy.  I also highlight some exc
 iting recent investigations into the use of gravitational waves as probes 
 of cosmology and tests of general relativity.
LOCATION:Sackler Lecture Theatre\, IoA (tea at 4:00 pm)
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