Black Holes and Neutron Stars
Research on black holes and neutron stars is an active area of study in Cornell Astronomy. A large numerical relativity group is devoted to computing the merger of binary systems containing two black holes, one black hole and one neutron star or two neutron stars. These coalescences are target systems for gravitational wave astronomy. Cornell participates in NANOGRAV, which aims to detect gravitational radiation from various sources, including the interaction of a pair of supermassive black holes, via sensitive pulsar timing. Accretion onto both black holes and neutron stars is studied by members of the department, as are the atmospheres and surfaces of the most magnetic neutron stars. Radio observations are being made to discover new pulsars, particularly exotic ones that are spinning very fast or massive or in binary star systems with other compact objects. Cornell astrophyicists are interested in the implications of these observations for high density nuclear physics.
Some of the research projects conducted by the Department members are:
- Calculations of Evolution of Star Clusters Including Degenerate Objects
- Coalescence of Spinning, Binary Black Holes
- Cosmological Mergers of Galaxies and Massive Black Holes
- Opacity of H- at High Density
- Cosmology
- Physics of Neutron Stars and Black Holes
- Studies of Gravitational Wave Sources for LIGO and for the Upcoming Mission LISA.
- Astrophysics of neutron stars and black holes, pulsars and magnetars
- Astrophysical fluid dynamics
- Extrasolar Planets around neutron stars
- Accretion processes in various astrophysical environments (X-ray binaries, proto-planetary disks, supermassive black holes)
- US-Russia Collaboration on Plasma Astrophysics
- Disk Accretion to Magnetized Stars and Outflows
- Dynamics of Protoplanetary Disks Around Magnetized Stars
- Magnetohydrodynamics and Plasma Phenomena in Protostellar Systems
- US-Kazakhstan Astrophysics Collaboration
- Matter Outflow form Active Galactic Nuclei: Theory & Model Calculations of Hydrodynamics, Radiation Transfer & Absorption Spectra in Ultraviolet
- Long Term Variations in the Rotation of Neutron Stars, Cosmology
- Neutron Stars
- Evolution of the Bow shock in the Guitar Nebula
Research Staff: Chernoff, Cordes, Flanagan, Lai, Lovelace, Teukolsky, Wasserman
