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Colloquium
Speaker
Mansi M. Kasliwal (California Institute of Technology, USA)
Date & Time
Fri, 13 December 2019, 11:30 to 13:00
Venue
Madhava lecture halld, ICTS Campus, Bangalore
Resources
Abstract

Our dynamic Universe is adorned by cosmic fireworks: energetic and ephemeral beacons of light that are a million (nova) to a billion (supernova) times brighter than our sun. On August 17, 2017, we witnessed cosmic fireworks unlike anything we have seen before. We saw two neutron stars merge and emit both gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation spanning the gamma-rays, X-rays,ultra-violet, optical, infrared and radio.  The astrophysics of the new fireworks suggests we are seeing the cocoon of a jet break out. The astrochemistry of the new fireworks suggests they serve as cosmic mines where half the elements in the periodic table heavier than iron (e.g., Gold, Platinum, Uranium, Neodymium) are synthesized. I will give an update on LIGO-Virgo's ongoing third observing run and the newest discoveries this year. Owing to bound-bound opacity, the infrared is the most sensitive probe of the heaviest elements. I will describe a brand new wide-field infrared surveyor, Palomar Gattini-IR.