Seminar
Seminar TitleGaia astrometry as a gravitational-wave detector
SpeakerSergei A. Klioner, Robin Geyer
InstituteLohrmann-Observatorium, Technische Universitaet Dresden
PlaceHannover, AEI, Seminarraum 013 (Callinstr. 36)
Start24.08.2017 13:15
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ESA's second space astrometry mission Gaia was launched in December
2013 and after an extended commissioning period started its scientific
operations in July 2014. During routine science operations Gaia
delivered an immense dataset of high-accuracy positional
observations. In spite of some unexpected difficulties with the
instrument, Gaia Data Processing and Analysis Consortium succeeded to
publish the 1st Data Release in September 2016 and works towards the
2nd Data Release of April 2018. The huge amount of Gaia astrometric data
and its unprecedented accuracy reaching 10 picoradians open
qualitatively new application areas for the old discipline of
astrometry.

In this presentation we will overview the principles and ideas of
space astrometry with Gaia. We will review of the current status of
the project and briefly discuss its applications in fundamental
physics and high-energy astrophysics. Particular emphasis will be
given to the use of high-accuracy astrometry as a gravitational-wave
detector. Global astrometry of Gaia is most sensitive to continuous
gravitational waves with frequencies below about 0.1 mHz. Binary
super-massive black holes are typical sources that can produce such
gravitational waves.



Gaia astrometry as a gravitational-wave detector