Popularyzacja nauki

Dancing Among the Stars: How Black Holes Merge in Star Clusters

Abbas Askar

(CAMK, Warszawa)

Black holes are among the most enigmatic objects in the Universe, and their mergers are some of the most energetic events ever observed. With the advent of gravitational wave astronomy, we now have a new window into these cosmic collisions. This talk explores how star clusters—dense environments where stars are born and interact—serve as natural factories for producing merging black holes. We begin with an introduction to black holes, gravitational waves, and the groundbreaking discoveries made by the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA collaboration through ground-based gravitational wave detectors. Then, we delve into the physics of star clusters, discussing how dynamical interactions in these dense and crowded environments lead to black hole binaries that eventually merge due to gravitational wave emission. Through computer simulations, we explore how these binaries form and evolve, shedding light on the origin of some of the black hole mergers detected by gravitational wave observatories.By understanding the role of star clusters, we can better interpret current observations and prepare for future discoveries with planned space-based gravitational wave detectors like LISA.

Wykład w języku angielskim.