Speaker
Description
Multi-messenger astronomy is a new and promising area in astrophysics where the same phenomenon is seen using multiple methods. In this project we examine binary systems of dense stellar core remnants known as white dwarfs (WDs) which may be seen both in the electromagnetic spectrum as light and in gravitation as gravitational waves (GWs). Gravitational waves were first predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916; however, they weren’t directly detected up until very recently in 2015 by LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory). LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is a future gravitational wave detector set to launch in 2034; it will allow the detection of GWs produced by objects such as white dwarfs whose frequency lay much lower than the LIGO band. In preparation for LISA, one must simulate these binary systems numerically to accurately estimate observational expectations. This project used a code known as COSMIC (Compact Object Synthesis and Monte Carlo Investigation Code) to simulate white dwarf populations. These populations were then mapped to a 3D distribution of HI and H2 gas within the Milky Way so that dust extinction approximations could allow for a more accurate calculation of apparent magnitude. Magnitudes were then compared to telescopes like the Vera Rubin Observatory to determine what of the population would be optically visible and qualify as multi-messenger sources.
