Shanghai Astronomical Observatory Astrophysics Colloquium

Title：Experimenting with gravity under extreme physical conditions with pulsars

Speaker：Dr. Kuo Liu (MPIfR )

Location: Lecture Hall, 3rd floor

Tencent Conference ID: 729-589-041 password: 6360

Special time：3:00 pm March. 28th (Tuesday)

Abstract：

Pulsars are fascinating stellar objects. Their nature being a celestial clock make them extremely sensitive probes to tiny perturbations in spacetime. In this talk, I will introduce two applications of pulsar to probe our theory of gravity under extreme physical conditions: Detecting low-frequency gravitational waves with a pulsar timing array (PTA), and measuring the properties of the supermassive black hole (Sgr A*) in the center of our Galaxy. I will show the most recent results obtained by the European PTA and the International PTA, where we have detected a common red-noise signal among multiple PTA pulsars. This signal may be the first evidence towards a final detection of the gravitational wave background. I will also present an overview of the currently ongoing pulsar searches towards the Galactic Center. This will include the first effort of such using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array and the Event Horizon Telescope.

CV：

I did my undergraduate at Peking University, working with Prof. Xu on modelling of timing noise using quark stars. Then I went to Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics to do my PhD, working with Prof. Michael Kramer on high-precision pulsar timing and gravity experiment. After graduation, I worked for approximately three years at Paris Observatory, before going back to Max-Planck-Institute for Radio Astronomy.