Climate Science and Policy, now more than ever!
Christoph Tries
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: These sessions are not for credit
The MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change provides a fast-paced , accessible introduction to the climate system, linking the social and scientific aspects of Climate change. These sessions aim to contextualize current global and local climate policy and provide an introduction to current research in climate.
Our opening session on Monday, January 30, will be about the fundamentals of climate science, followed by a discussion that will help understand both domestic and international environmental policies in practice. The second day, we will examine how the climate system responds to both natural and human-caused forcings, and how scientists can detect and attribute observed changes in the climate system to human activity, followed by a discussion about what the influence of the United States has been in shaping global climate policy. Finally, on Thursday participants will interact in a mock of international climate negotiation and examine the outcomes in real-time.
REGISTRATION : Click here to register.
NOTE: although advance registration is not required, we encourage you to register to as many sessions as you can as they are all related. Registration will also help us get the right head count for refreshments for each session.
LINK TO ABSTRACTS: Read
(This link takes you to the long versions of abstracts)
Sponsor(s): Joint Program/Science and Policy of Global Change
Contact: Dimonika Bray, E19-411R, 617 324-7375, DBIZI@MIT.EDU
| Jan/30 | Mon | 05:00PM-06:00PM | Bldg E51-325 |
Climate 101: Fundamentals of Climate Science
This lecture will begin with the history of climate science and will provide a broad overview of the physics of the climate system. The goal is to allow participants to develop a broad understanding of Earth 's climate system and understand the basic tools of climate science.
Justin Bandoro - Master's Student, School Of Science
| Jan/30 | Mon | 06:00PM-07:00PM | Bldg E51-325 |
Introduction to Economics and Policy of Climate Change: How Will You Design a Climate Policy?
If you are a designer for climate policy, what do you think is important and how will you design a good policy? This session will introduce basic concepts in environmental economics and environmental policy. We will examine the policy options and guide the audience to think about what is important in the process.
Minghao Qiu - Master's Student
| Jan/31 | Tue | 05:00PM-06:00PM | E51-325 |
Climate Science 102: The Global Climate System and Climate Modeling
This lecture will build on 101 and dive into an overview of how the climate system responds to both natural and human-caused forcings, and how scientists can detect and attribute observed changes in the climate system to human activity.
Justin Bandoro - Master's Student, School Of Science
| Jan/31 | Tue | 06:00PM-07:00PM | E51-325 |
International Climate Governance and the Role of the United States
First part: What is the history and institutional basis of this process of international climate governance?
Second part: What has the role of the United States been in shaping global climate policy? What are the achievements and failures of US climate policy? And most importantly, what can we expect post 2016 elections?
Arun Singh - Master's Student, TPP, Michael Davidson - PhD Student, JP - ESD
| Feb/01 | Wed | 05:00PM-06:00PM | E25-111 |
Can carbon pricing solve climate change: Lessons from climate policy efforts around the world
Why politicians and economists are diametrically opposed on the idea of carbon price, and why Secretary Hillary Clinton 's platform didn't feature a carbon price. The talk will draw on real world experience with carbon pricing to derive lessons about its potential to mitigate climate change.
Emil Dimantchev - Master's Student, JP - TPP - ESD
| Feb/01 | Wed | 06:00PM-07:00PM | E25-111 |
Embracing Uncertainty: How our society deals with not knowing and what we can do to prepare for climate change
We will look at the substantial role which uncertainty plays in our economy, politics and science. We will close out with some suggestions how to adequately adapt to climate change and how to communicate uncertainty issues to the public, and then open for a discussion with the audience.
Christoph Tries
| Feb/02 | Thu | 04:00PM-07:00PM | E51-325 |
World Climate Negotiations Simulation
Participant groups will represent regions of the world with various goals for mitigation, adaptation, and economic growth, then participate in a mock international climate negotiation. The computer simulation C-ROADS will be used to examine the outcomes of the mock negotiation in real-time.
Christoph Tries
Exoplanet Research at MIT (3 talks and a tour!)
George Ricker, Jenn Burt, Diana Dragomir
| Jan/19 | Thu | 01:00PM-03:30PM | Marlar Lounge 37-252 |
Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/17
Limited to 12 participants
Prereq: attending talks preceding the tour
Unlocking the Secrets of Nearby Exoplanets with the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite
Dr. George Ricker, 1:00-1:30pm
abstract
Exoplanet Science in the era of TESS
Dr. Jenn Burt, 1:30-2:00pm
The Mystery of Super-Earth Exoplanets
Dr Diana Dragomir, 2:00-2:30pm
abstract
Tour of the TESS Test Facility
The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) will discover thousands of exoplanets in orbit around the brightest stars in the sky. In a two-year survey of the solar neighborhood, TESS will monitor more than 200,000 stars for temporary drops in brightness caused by planetary transits. This first-ever spaceborne all-sky transit survey will identify planets ranging from Earth-sized to gas giants, around a wide range of stellar types and orbital distances. No ground-based survey can achieve this feat. A tour of the TESS test facility is available for a small number of attendees on a first-come-first-served basis. The tour will depart from Marlar Lounge at 2:30pm and walk as a group to NE83.
PLEASE NOTE:
No enrollment limit for talks, no advance sign-up required.
Advance sign up required for the tour which is limited to 12 individuals. Sign up by 12noon on January 17 (email meinbres@mit.edu). Please provide your name as it appears on your official ID (passport, valid driver's license, or state-issued ID). Be sure to bring your ID with you for the tour. Tour pre-requisite--attendance at the talks preceding the tour.
Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU
Exploring the Universe from Near to Far with the Chandra X-ray Observatory; Tour of the Chandra Operations Control Center
Dr. Michael Nowak, Research Scientist, Dr. Norbert Schulz
| Jan/30 | Mon | 02:30PM-04:00PM | Marlar Lounge 37-252, bring your official ID for the tour |
Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/23
Limited to 20 participants
Prereq: attend 2:30pm talk to take Chandra OCC tour that follows
The Universe in X-ray Light
Exploring the Universe from Near to Far with the Chandra X-ray Observatory
In the summer of 1999, NASA launched the third of its great observatories--the Chandra X-ray telescope. Like the Hubble Space telescope which preceded it, Chandra is designed to have an unprecedented ability to create images and spectra of astrophysical objects, except working with high energy X-rays instead of optical light. This means that Chandra views some of the universe's most exotic and energetic phenomena: supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, jets traveling at nearly the speed of light emanating from near the center of clusters of galaxies. In this talk, we'll take a tour of the discoveries made by the Chandra X-ray telescope, starting with studies of our own solar system, moving outward to nearby stars, to the center of our own Galaxy where a black hole 40 millions times the mass of our Sun lurks, to distant clusters of Galaxies where the most massive black holes, billions of times the mass of our Sun, reside.
Talk followed by Tour of Operations Control Center for Chandra X-ray Observatory, One of NASA's Great Observatories
Tour departs 37-252 @ 3:00pm following 2:30pm talk above. Tour signup deadline: Monday, Jan 23 @ noon. Email meinbres@mit.edu your first & last name (as it appears on your ID) & the country of your citizenship. Your tour attendance will be confirmed the week of Jan 23.
The tour is limited to the first 20 people who sign up by Jan 23 @ noon.
Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU
Giant Telescopes and Metal Poor Stars
Mr. Alexander Ji
| Jan/23 | Mon | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Marlar Lounge 37-252 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none
Learn about next generation telescopes and what metal poor stars tells us about the Universe's origins.
The First Stars
Alexander Ji
The Universe hasn't always been filled with stars. Come learn how astronomers are trying to understand how the first stars were made, tackling this question from both theoretical and observational perspectives.
Modern Cyclopses - The Era of Giant Telescopes
Dr. Gabor Furesz
While astronomical observations have been carried out for thousands of years it is only the past four centuries when our naked eyes have been aided by telescopes. With today's 'giant eyes' we can peer really deep into the night sky, literally reaching the edge of the (observable) Universe. But to get there we have to build larger and larger, ever more sensitive, better telescopes and instruments. It has been really just the past few decades when progress was exponential, just like in other fields: thanks to computers, highly sensitive digital detectors and other modern design and manufacturing technologies. But progress in astronomical instrumentation is also influenced by commercialization, the consumer market, as well as history and politics - as these extremely large and complex scientific machines require collaboration and unique technology developments that point beyond a single nation, even the U.S. (read the full abstract here)
No enrollment limit for talk, no advance sign-up required.
See a complete listing of Kavli IAP activities.
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU
Heavier than the Sun, Smaller than a City: The Neutron Star
Dr. Paul Hemphill, Dr. Norbert Schulz, Dr. Herman Marshall
| Jan/20 | Fri | 01:30PM-03:00PM | Marlar Lounge 37-252 |
Enrollment: no limit or advanced sign up for talk; tour signup at 1:25
Sign-up by 01/20
Limited to 20 participants
Prereq: none
X-ray Spectroscopy: Talk and Tour. Learn about the development and application of x-ray spectroscopy.
Heavier than the Sun, Smaller than a City: The Neutron Star
Dr. Paul Hemphill
Abstract:
Neutron stars are some of the most extreme objects in the knownUniverse. More massive than the Sun, but just a few miles across, theyhave some of the highest densities, strongest magnetic fields, and highest temperatures of any celestial objects. In this talk I will give an overview of the origins and properties of the various types of neutron stars that we observe, as well as how we can detect them and their usefulness for astrophysics as a whole.
Tour of the X-ray Polarimetry Lab -- please note tour limit and prerequisite below
Drs. Norbert Schulz and Herman Marshall
Tour of MIT's X-ray Polarimetry Lab, where new X-ray instrumentation is currently being developed.
Please Note:
20 people max for tour. Advance sign-up required starting at 1:25pm in 37-252 immediately before Dr. Hemphill's talk. Attendance of talk is required for tour of the Lab. Tour will leave from 37-252 at 2:00pm, and last until about 3:00pm.
Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU
High-resolution x-ray optics at the Space Nanotechnology Laboratory: From nanometers to gigaparsecs
Dr. Ralf Heilmann, Principal Research Scientist, MIT Kavli Institute
| Feb/03 | Fri | 02:30PM-04:15PM | Marlar Lounge 37-252 |
Enrollment: no limit or advanced sign up for talk; signup for tour at 2:25pm on Feb 3
Sign-up by 02/03
Limited to 6 participants
Prereq: none
The Space Nanotechnology Laboratory (SNL) develops advanced lithography and nano-fabrication technology for high performance space instrumentation, as well as nanometer-accuracy metrology and assembly technology. Two current efforts are the development of nanofabricated soft x-ray gratings, the so-called critical-angle transmission (CAT) gratings, and the development of high-precision focusing X-ray mirrors. CAT gratings require the fabrication of sub-micron structures with extreme geometries and sub-nanometer precision, while x-ray mirrors are formed at 600 deg C while floating on porous air bearings and shaped further using ion implantation. These efforts are aimed at instruments that can help find the missing baryons in the Cosmic Web and reveal the secrets of dark matter.
PLEASE NOTE: There will be a tour of the Space Nanotechnology Laboratory (SNL) from 3:15-4:15pm. The pre-requisite for going on the SNL tour is attending this talk. The tour is limited to SIX people; advance sign-up required starting at 2:25 pm in 37-252. You must attend this talk to take the tour.
A complete listing of IAP activities being offered by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research is posted on the MKI website.
Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU
Highlights of what we have learned about Pluto from NASA's New Horizons mission
Cathy Olkin '88
| Jan/31 | Tue | 05:45PM-07:00PM | 4-270 |
Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/31
Cathy Olkin ’88, is a planetary scientist at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, CO. Her main topic of research is the outer solar system, specifically planetary atmospheres and surfaces. She was Deputy Project Scientist for NASA’s New Horizons mission to Pluto and will relate her direct experience with New Horizons.
After traveling for more than 9 years, NASA’s New Horizons mission accomplished its prime objective – the initial reconnaissance of the Pluto system. On July 14, New Horizons passed about 12,500 km from Pluto’s surface, flying between Pluto and the orbit of Pluto’s large moon Charon. The seven instruments on board the spacecraft include a high-resolution imager, a color imager and short-wave IR imaging spectrometer, a UV spectrometer, two in-situ plasma instruments, a dust detector and a radio science experiment. Data from these instruments have provided a wealth of new information on the Pluto system and have transformed our understanding of this world. Highlights of scientific results include the large glacial region on Pluto and its implication for convection and a possible sub-surface ocean, and also why Charon’s north pole is red.
To register: http://upop-portal.mit.edu/events/view/?id=905
Sponsor(s): Undergraduate Practice Opportunities Program -UPOP
Contact: Kate Moynihan, 1-123-B, 617 253-0041, KATEJM@MIT.EDU
How the universe magnetizes itself: instabilities, turbulence and magnetic reconnection
Nuno Loureiro, Assistant Professor
| Jan/25 | Wed | 02:00PM-03:00PM | 1-190 |
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
The universe is magnetized: from galaxies and galaxy clusters to the solar system, including of course the Sun and our own planet, magnetic fields are found everywhere we care to look. It is reasonably well established that magnetic fields were not created in the Big Bang, so a question naturally arises as to where they come from. Understanding cosmic magnetogenesis, as the problem is usually called, is plasma physics at its very best, involving a rather complex interplay of battery-like effects, instabilities at the electron and ion scales, turbulent amplification (dynamo), and magnetic reconnection to enable magnetic-field topology change. This lecture will aim to describe these processes at an introductory level, and their role in magnetic field generation, amplification and dynamics.
Sponsor(s): Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, 617 253-8101, RIVENBERG@PSFC.MIT.EDU
How to control the climate
David Keith, Professor of Applied Physics
| Feb/02 | Thu | 02:00PM-03:00PM | NW17-218 |
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
What tools exist, or could reasonably be developed, to directly alter the Earth's climate? What are the limits to solar geoengineering? What are the ethics might apply to the development of such tools?
Sponsor(s): Plasma Science and Fusion Center
Contact: Paul Rivenberg, NW16-284, 617 253-8101, RIVENBERG@PSFC.MIT.EDU
Introduction to Astrobiology
Roger Summons, Schlumberger Professor of Geobiology, Christopher Carr, Research Scientist, Alexandra Pontefract, Postdoctoral Associate
Enrollment: Email Alexandra Pontefract (apontefr@mit.edu) to sign-up.
Limited to 25 participants
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: A knowledge of Biology and/or Geology would be an asset.
Have you always wondered what Astrobiology is, and what Astrobiologists do? Are you interested in the search for life beyond the Earth?
Come join us for two weeks as we explore the breadth of topics related to Astrobiology, from the origins of life here on Earth, to the habitability of other bodies in our solar system and beyond. Through this course you will gain an appreciation of the multi-disciplinary nature of planetary science research, and gain a basic understanding of the knowledge and instrumentation that goes into making a planetary exploration mission for life detection.
This course will feature a series of lectures from MIT and Brown University Planetary scientists and Astrobiologists, along with lab demonstrations and group discussions.
Sponsor(s): Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Contact: Alexandra Pontefract, 54-511, apontefr@MIT.EDU
| Jan/23 | Mon | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by a discussion on: Learning how to read a scientific article.
Alexandra Pontefract - Postdoctoral Associate
| Jan/24 | Tue | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by an opportunity to view some fossils and a tour of the Isotope Lab.
Roger Summons - Schlumberger Professor of Geobiology
| Jan/25 | Wed | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by a discussion on top-down phylogenomic reconstructions of deep ancestral life.
Greg Fournier - Cecil & Ida Green Assistant Professor of Geobiology
| Jan/26 | Thu | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by a discussion on Extremophilic Organisms.
Heather Throckmorton - Postdoctoral Associate
| Jan/27 | Fri | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by a demonstration of relevant technology.
Jack Mustard - Professor, Brown University
| Jan/30 | Mon | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by a lab on planetary datasets.
Jason Soderblom - Research Scientist
| Jan/31 | Tue | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by a demonstration of nanopore sequencing.
Christopher Carr - Research Scientist
| Feb/01 | Wed | 09:00AM-12:00PM | 54-915 |
Lecture followed by an online Exoplanet lab.
Jennifer Burt - Postdoctoral Fellow
(CANCELED) Introduction to Stable Isotope Ecology
Robert Vincent, Coastal Ecologist, MIT Sea Grant
Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/06
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions
The use of stable isotopes for investigating past, current, and future environmental conditions has increased in popularity over the last decade. Applications include climate science, natural resource management, commercial fisheries management, anthropogenic impact assessments, pollution control, habitat restoration, and ecosystem processes, to name a few.
The course will provide a basic introduction for the use of stable isotopes in ecological assessments. We will start with a primer on stable isotopes as they occur in natural systems, fractionation, and how environmental conditions can influence the relationship between light and heavy isotopes. We will discuss how isotopes of multiple elements are used to investigate the trophic transfer of energy through a system, and how computer mixing models are used in food web analysis. Real-world applications of stable isotope analyses in professional settings will also be discussed. We will prepqare and analyze samples and visit a stable isotope lab.
1/10/17-2/2/2017; Tues & Thurs 10 am – 12:00; Rm 4-265
Sponsor(s): Sea Grant College Program
Contact: Robert Vincent, E38-300, 617 252-1741, RVINCENT@MIT.EDU
Maps - Yes, the Libraries have maps
Michael M Noga, Earth and Planetary Sciences Librarian
| Feb/03 | Fri | 01:00PM-03:00PM | 7-238 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 02/02
Prereq: none
Come on a fun tour of the two main map collections in the Libraries. We will start in the Rotch Library and then travel to the Hayden Map Collection. You will see the type of maps in the collections, how to find them, and how to use them.
Also, you can participate in a map quiz. There will be snacks and map giveaways.
Please register ahead of time here.
Sponsor(s): Libraries
Contact: Michael Noga, 14S-222, 617 253-1290, MNOGA@MIT.EDU
Mars Settlement Workshop, Mission Design
Bruce Mackenzie, Mars Foundation
| Jan/11 | Wed | 03:00PM-05:00PM | E51-390 |
| Jan/13 | Fri | 03:00PM-05:00PM | E62-221 |
| Jan/18 | Wed | 03:00PM-05:00PM | E62-221 |
| Jan/20 | Fri | 03:00PM-05:00PM | E62-221 |
Enrollment: Limited: First come, first served (no advance sign-up)
Limited to 16 participants
Attendance: Repeating event, participants welcome at any session
Want to open up a new world to live in?
Help create a technical plan to start flexible manufacturing and
growing food on Mars, using materials made on Mars (in-situ),
with minimum equipment brought from Earth.
Details will be worked out by you, the participants, but may include
3D printing, recycling and
production of polymers on-site, production of other building
materials, and on-site assembly of habitats and greenhouses. Portions
can be adapted from past designs by the Mars Foundation and other
plans.
If there is interest, we can include Mars rover design, social,
economic, political aspects, and suggestions for a business plan.
Please contact us early, if possible,
even if you cannot attend at these times.
This will help us schedule additional sessions,
and provide you background material.
Attendance at most sessions is expected.
Additional design sessions will be scheduled at your
convenience.
The first two weeks of IAP will be for designing the overall mission plan.
You can join the follow on workshop during the third and fourth weeks
for more detailed design of various systems.
Sponsor(s): Astropreneurship and Space Industry Club, Students for Exploration and Development of Space, Mars Society
Contact: Bruce Mackenzie, BMackenzie@alum.mit.edu
Mars Settlement Workshop, System Design Series
Bruce Mackenzie, Mars Foundation
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Want to open up a new world to live in?
Help fill out a technical plan for flexible manufacturing and
growing food on Mars, using materials made on Mars (in-situ),
with minimum equipment brought from Earth.
We will work on detailed designs of systems needed
to live on Mars, including: 3D printing, recycling and
production of polymers on-site, production of other building
materials, and on-site assembly of habitats and greenhouses. Portions
can be adapted from past designs by the Mars Foundation and other
plans.
If there is interest, we may include Mars rover design, social,
economic, political aspects, and suggestions for a business plan.
Please contact us early, if possible,
even if you cannot attend at these times.
This will help us schedule additional sessions,
and provide you background material.
Attendance at most sessions is expected.
Additional design sessions will be scheduled at your
convenience.
If possible, also try to attend
“Mars Settlement Workshop, Mission Design”
during the first and second weeks of IAP.
That will be for designing the overall mission plan.
Sponsor(s): Astropreneurship and Space Industry Club, Students for Exploration and Development of Space
Contact: Bruce Mackenzie, 781-249-5437, BMackenzie@alum.mit.edu
| Jan/23 | Mon | 01:00PM-02:00PM | 2-146 |
| Jan/25 | Wed | 01:00PM-02:00PM | 2-146 |
| Jan/27 | Fri | 01:00PM-02:00PM | 2-146 |
| Jan/30 | Mon | 01:00PM-02:00PM | 2-146 |
| Feb/01 | Wed | 01:00PM-02:00PM | 2-146 |
| Feb/03 | Fri | 01:00PM-02:00PM | 2-146 |
Want to open up a new world to live in?
Help fill out a technical plan for flexible manufacturing and
growing food on Mars, using materials made on Mars (in-situ),
with minimum equipment brought from Earth.
Bruce Mackenzie - Mars Foundation
NICER to the Space Station: Astrophysics of Neutron Stars and Black Holes via X-ray Astronomy
Ronald Remillard, Principal Research Scientist
| Jan/26 | Thu | 01:30PM-02:00PM | Marlar Lounge 37-252 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none
NASA's Neutron star Interior Composition ExploreR ("NICER"), will be launched to the International Space Station. The NICER detector team at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics has delivered Si drift detectors and signal processing electronics for the 56 cameras that constitute the Instrument. The cameras are sensitive to X-ray photons in the range 0.2-12 keV, and each event will be time-tagged with an instrument clock that ticks at 40 ns. This talk will review the science goals, the instrument technology, and the calibration equipment that allows us to accomplish requirements, including the achievement of timing accuracy to 100 ns in the Solar System barycenter.
See all IAP listings for Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research
Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU
The Era of Gravitational-wave Astronomy
Dr. Carl Rodriguez
| Jan/26 | Thu | 01:30PM-02:30PM | Marlar Lounge 37-252 |
Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none
A billion years ago in a distant galaxy, two black holes collided, releasing more energy than the combined starlight of the entire universe. A billion years later on September 14th, 2015, LIGO observed these energetic ripples in spacetime as they traveled past Earth, officially beginning the era of gravitational-wave astronomy. But what are gravitational waves, and how do we use them for astronomy? In this talk I’ll describe how black holes come together and merge, and how different features of gravitational waves allow us to answer questions about the dark side of the universe. I’ll also describe other discoveries--beyond black holes--that LIGO is expected to make in the coming years.
please note: A talk by Dr. Ronald Remillard on "NICER to the Space Station: Astrophysics of Neutron Stars and Black Holes via X-ray Astronomy" will be held from 1:30-2:00pm and will precede Dr. Rodriguez' talk. Each talk is 20 minutes in length with a 10 minute Q&A following.
Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU
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