TAPIR Seminar

In person: 370 Cahill. To Join via Zoom: 851 0756 7442

Abstract: Theoretical predictions of gravitational waveforms play a central role in gravitational-wave astronomy, providing the critical link between theory and observation that enables the detection and interpretation of compact-binary signals. However, both numerical relativity and waveform approximants are subject to systematic errors, which can bias our astrophysical, cosmological, and fundamental-physics inference. As gravitational-wave detectors continue to improve in sensitivity, the impact of these waveform uncertainties becomes increasingly significant. In this talk, I will review the primary sources of error in current waveform predictions. Then, I will discuss how these uncertainties propagate into inference for both observed events and synthetic signals. I will then explore the implications of waveform systematics for the future space-based detector, LISA. I will conclude by outlining key challenges and strategies required to ensure robust, unbiased scientific inference from upcoming gravitational-wave observations.