Fredagskollokvium: How to detect dark matter with gravitational wave interferometers

Federico Urban, Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences.

protrettbildet av Federico Urban
Dr. Federico Urban, senior researcher at Central European Institute for Cosmology and Fundamental Physics, Institute of Physics, Czech Academy of Sciences.

The vast majority of matter in the Universe, the Dark matter, continues to duck all our attempts to seize it and understand its properties. We still do not know whether Dark matter does anything else than just gravitate, how and when it was created, or what its mass is. Theoretical models abound, but spin-2 dark matter is unique in the sense that dark matter is nothing but a modification of how gravity works. After a brief theoretical introduction, I will discuss how spin-2 dark matter, if it is ultra-light, generates an ever present signal for gravitational wave interferometers and pulsar timing arrays that is akin to but distinct from a continuous gravitational wave. This signal is within reach of current and planned gravitational wave facilities, and efforts are underway for its detection.

 

illustrasjonen av en svart hull og gravitasjonsbølger rundt
Ripples in the spacetime around a spinning compact object. Image credit: Getty Images/iStockphoto, Image featured in NewScientist's article.
Emneord: institute seminar, fredagskollokvium, dark matter, mørk materie, Gravitational Waves
Publisert 11. okt. 2021 09:08 - Sist endret 14. okt. 2021 17:03