Gravitational Wave Probes of Black Hole Environments
IFPU
26-30 May 2025
Gravitational wave (GW) observations from binary black hole (BBH) mergers have provided new insights into strong-field gravity. A growing area of research focuses on environmental effects, where dark matter or other surrounding matter can influence the BBH dynamics and leave detectable imprints on GW signals. Dark matter, in particular, could form dense regions around black holes, potentially seeded by primordial black holes or amplified through processes like adiabatic growth or superradiance, modifying the resulting GW emission. This workshop will examine the impact of such environments on BBH waveforms, with a focus on detecting and constraining these effects using GW observations. We will explore novel data analysis techniques, including machine learning and simulation-based inference (SBI), to enhance parameter inference and disentangle environmental signatures. Bringing together experts from gravitational wave astronomy, dark matter theory, and machine learning, the workshop aims to foster interdisciplinary collaboration in this emerging field.
Meeting website: https://indico.sissa.it/event/163/
Organisers:
- Gianfranco Bertone (University of Amsterdam)
- Enrico Barausse (SISSA)
Participants:
- Stefan Gillessen (Max Planck Institute for Extraterrestrial Physics)
- Mudit Garg (University of Zurich)
- Andrea Maselli (GSSI)
- Gianfranco Bertone (University of Amsterdam, GRAPPA)
- Laura Sagunski (Institute for Theoretical Physics, Goethe-Universität Frankfurt)
- Theophanes Karydas (University of Amsterdam, GRAPPA)
- Maarten van de Meent (Niels Bohr Institute)
- Katy Clough (Queen Mary University of London)
- Rodrigo Vincente (University of Amsterdam, GRAPPA)
- Philippa Cole (University of Milano-Bicocca)
- Cristina Mondino (Perimeter Institute)
- Laura Sberna (University of Nottingham)
- Coleman Miller (University of Maryland)
- Cecilia Chirenti (University of Maryland)