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SUMMARY:Gravitational Waves and the Death-Spiral of Compact Binaries - Cli
 fford Will (Washington University\, St. Louis and Institut d'Astrophysique
 \, Paris)
DTSTART:20061024T153000Z
DTEND:20061024T163000Z
UID:TALK5458@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Jane Buckle
DESCRIPTION:Gravitational waves from the final inspiral of binary systems 
 containing\nblack holes or neutron stars are expected to be detectable by 
 current\nground-based interferometric gravitational-wave observatories\, a
 nd by the\nproposed space interferometer LISA. We review the current statu
 s of\ntheoretical work\, based primarily on post-Newtonian approximations\
 , to\nunderstand inspirals and their waveforms with high precision. Throug
 h\nmatched filtering techniques\, it will be possible to measure key\nastr
 ophysical parameters of the inspiraling systems\, such as masses and\nspin
 s\, as well as to probe modifications of general relativity\, such as\nsca
 lar-tensor alternatives or theories with a massive graviton.\nPost-Newtoni
 an techniques have also led to an improved prediction of the\n"kick" veloc
 ity imparted to a black hole formed from the inspiral and\nmerger of two c
 ompact bodies\, as a result of the asymmetric emission of\ngravitational w
 aves. Finally\, we discuss how LISA may be able to do "black\nhole spectro
 scopy"\, by detecting and resolving the quasinormal "ringdown"\ngravitatio
 nal waves from newly formed massive black holes.\n
LOCATION:Ryle Seminar Room\, Cavendish Laboratory
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