Date:
Tue, 08/12/202012:30-13:30
Title: Galactic Astronomy with LISA
Abstract: White dwarf stars are a well-established tool for studying Galactic stellar populations. Two white dwarfs in a tight orbit forming a double white dwarf (DWD) binary offer us an additional messenger - gravitational waves - for exploring the Milky Way and its immediate surroundings. Gravitational waves produced by DWDs can be detected by the future Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). I will discuss what we will learn about our Galaxy from the LISA sample of DWDs. In particular, I will demonstrate how well the density distribution of DWDs constrains scale parameters of the Milky Way's bulge, disc and central bar. Finally, I will show that massive Galactic satellites can be seen on gravitational wave sky and I will present which of their properties we will be able to investigate with LISA.
Abstract: White dwarf stars are a well-established tool for studying Galactic stellar populations. Two white dwarfs in a tight orbit forming a double white dwarf (DWD) binary offer us an additional messenger - gravitational waves - for exploring the Milky Way and its immediate surroundings. Gravitational waves produced by DWDs can be detected by the future Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). I will discuss what we will learn about our Galaxy from the LISA sample of DWDs. In particular, I will demonstrate how well the density distribution of DWDs constrains scale parameters of the Milky Way's bulge, disc and central bar. Finally, I will show that massive Galactic satellites can be seen on gravitational wave sky and I will present which of their properties we will be able to investigate with LISA.