Events

Detecting Gravitational Wave Signals - Methods, Challenges, and Opportunities
Shio Sakon
Pennsylvania State University

The LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration’s fourth observing run (O4) produced a remarkable expansion of the gravitational-wave transient catalog, with nearly three times as many significant detections as were known at the start of the run. Among these were several first-of-their-kind events that challenged existing theories, and the increased rate of detections reflected the improvement in detector sensitivity and analysis capabilities over the past decade.

Neutron Star–Black Hole Binaries: Predictions and Observations
Debatri Chattopadhyay
Northwestern University

Neutron star–black hole (NS–BH) binaries have emerged as key targets for multi-messenger astrophysics following the first gravitational wave detections of such systems. In this talk, I present population synthesis predictions for the Galactic NS–BH population, models that interpret the first observed mergers, and forecasts for future radio, gravitational-wave, and electromagnetic discoveries.

Unraveling the origins of fast radio bursts and using them as probes of extreme plasmas
Kenzie Nimmo
Northwestern University

Fast radio bursts (FRBs) are millisecond-duration flashes of coherent radio emission originating from extragalactic distances, offering a unique view into the physics of compact objects and their surrounding environments. Despite their brief and unpredictable nature, precise localizations of a small number of FRBs have already revealed a striking diversity in host galaxies, local environments, and burst properties - suggesting multiple progenitor channels linked to extreme compact objects. However, the nature of FRB sources remains one of the most exciting mysteries in astrophysics.

Black Holes: Bridging Simulations and Observations
León Salas
University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

In recent years, General Relativistic Magnetohydrodynamic (GRMHD) simulations, combined with multiwavelength observations have provided critical insights into the nature of radiation from accreting black holes. These simulations have revealed a particularly interesting magnetically arrested disk (MAD) regime whereby the accretion is choked by strong magnetic fields. The higher magnetic flux characteristic of the MAD regime leads to new dynamics, including interchange-type accretion modes and flux eruptions. Polarization measurements by the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) from the supermassive black holes M87* and Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*) favor MAD states. However, nearly all MAD models exhibit greater 230 GHz flux variability than seen in historical observations of Sgr A*.

Ohana Kilo Hoku: Hawaiian Culture Based Astronomy Outreach
Tyler Trent
University of Maryland

Astronomy in Hawaii has become highly controversial in recent years, with construction of new telescopes on Mauna Kea drawing large protests from the local communities, especially Native Hawaiians. As someone who was born and raised on the island of Oahu in Hawaii, and has Native Hawaiian ancestry, I share my perspective on the conflict and present on the work of Ohana Kilo Hoku, a Native Hawaiian non-profit organization I am a member of. Drawing inspiration from ancient Native Hawaiian's who used the night sky to navigate the Pacific Ocean, we work to cultivate relationships between the youth and the science of the sky above.