Description:
Multi-messenger astronomy is a cutting-edge field of astrophysics that integrates data from various cosmic messengers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of celestial phenomena. Traditionally, astronomers have relied on studying electromagnetic radiation at different wavelengths, such as visible light, radio waves, X-rays, and gamma rays, to explore the universe. However, in recent years, the advent of new detection technologies has enabled the observation of other cosmic messengers, including neutrinos, gravitational waves, and cosmic rays. The concept of multi-messenger astronomy is based on the understanding that different types of messengers can provide distinct and complementary information about astrophysical events and objects. For example:
- Electromagnetic Radiation: Includes visible light, radio waves, infrared radiation, ultraviolet radiation, X-rays, and gamma rays. Each wavelength provides unique information about different physical processes occurring in astronomical objects, such as temperature, composition, and dynamics of stars, galaxies, and other celestial phenomena.
- Neutrinos: These are subatomic particles that interact weakly with matter and can penetrate large distances in space without being significantly absorbed or scattered. High-energy astrophysical processes, such as supernova explosions, active galactic nuclei, and gamma-ray bursts, can produce neutrinos. Neutrino detection provides valuable information about the most energetic and cataclysmic events in the universe.
- Gravitational Waves: These are ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by the acceleration of massive objects, such as colliding black holes, merging neutron stars, or asymmetric supernova explosions. Unlike electromagnetic waves, gravitational waves can pass through intervening matter without being absorbed or scattered, offering a unique means to probe the most violent and energetic events in the universe.
- Cosmic Rays: These are high-energy particles, primarily protons and atomic nuclei, that travel through space at nearly the speed of light. Their origins are still under investigation, but they are believed to be produced by sources such as supernova remnants, active galactic nuclei, and possibly even processes within our own galaxy. The study of cosmic rays provides insights into the origin and propagation of energetic particles in the cosmos.
By combining observations from different messengers, multi-messenger astronomy aims to unravel the mysteries of the universe with unprecedented detail. For example, the simultaneous detection of gravitational waves and electromagnetic radiation from the merger of two neutron stars in 2017 marked a historic achievement in multi-messenger astronomy, allowing scientists to study the event across the electromagnetic spectrum and confirming long-standing hypotheses about the origins of heavy elements and the nature of neutron star mergers.
In this research line, we contribute to the investigation of astrophysical phenomena through various messengers, among which we can highlight:
- Detector characterization activities in the KM3NeT experiment;
- Search for coincident events between different messengers using data from the Virgo and KM3NeT collaborations;
- Study of binary collisions in gravitational waves and constraints on modified gravity theories;
- Development of data analysis pipelines for various messengers;
- Application of Machine Learning techniques for noise identification in gravitational wave detectors of the Virgo collaboration.
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