3:30–4:45 pm MCP 201
The direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs) by LIGO and Virgo has revolutionized our understanding of the Universe, from the first historic detection of merging black holes (GW150914) to the groundbreaking multi-messenger observation of a neutron star merger (GW170817). These discoveries have not only confirmed predictions of general relativity but also unlocked new insights into the formation of heavy elements and the extreme physics of compact objects. As second-generation detectors continue to expand the catalog of GW events—nearly 400 detections—it is now the time to prepare for the next major breakthrough: the Einstein Telescope (ET).
This scientific field is now attracting more and more interest around the world. Building on the success of the ongoing LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA projects, the Einstein Telescope (ET) is an underground infrastructure project to host a third-generation GW observatory in Europe. ET has the great ambition to detect GW sources throughout cosmic history up to the primordial Universe just after the Big Bang, increasing from about 100 per year to several hundred thousand per year the number of detections of black hole and neutron star mergers. ET has been included in the European roadmap for Research Infrastructures, and the ET collaboration has officially been formed in June 2022, bringing together 2100 scientists from 285 institutes around the world.
This seminar will present the latest results from LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA and the scientific and technological preparation of ET, paving the way for a new era of GW astronomy.