Events

From AI to the Moon: The Next Frontiers in Gravitational-Wave Astrophysics

Ten years of LIGO observations have reshaped our view of black hole populations while tempering the early promise of multi-messenger astrophysics. I will begin by discussing what LIGO has revealed about an emerging class of “lite” intermediate-mass black holes, providing new clues to the cosmic assembly of massive black holes. Building on these discoveries, I will introduce new approaches that use foundational AI models to enhance the interpretive power of gravitational-wave signals for astrophysics and for testing General Relativity. As gravitational-wave astronomy enters its second decade, it finds new discovery potential in the United States’ return to the Moon. I will present the Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA), a proposed U.S. flagship observatory operating in the mid-band between LIGO and LISA. LILA would provide weeks of advance warning for the broadest class of multi-messenger sources, with sky localization comparable to the angular size of a galaxy. Access to the mid-band makes LILA the most promising facility for observing intermediate-mass black holes and offers the first opportunity to directly measure the primordial gravitational-wave background.

Monday, November 3, 2025 11:00 AM

Inperson
G10