Astrophysics

Abstract: The towers of massive states in quantum gravity are ubiquitous and highly constrained. I will review some of the Swampland conjectures, known as distance conjectures, that quantify the universal behaviors of such towers in string theory...

Each week, we hold a relatively informal seminar/discussion series with an emphasis on extra-galactic and large-scale structure astrophysics.

During Galread a leader/visitor presents a recent paper to the discussion group. The PDF of the paper is...

From ground-based photometric surveys like the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF), to high-precision space-based photometry by Kepler and TESS, an influx of abundant astronomical data has generated open questions about the underlying processes driving...

Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) are thermonuclear explosions of white dwarfs that serve as pivotal standardizable candles in cosmology. While their role in cosmic distance determination is well-established, long-standing questions regarding their...

The Bahcall Lunch follow the astrophysics colloquium lecture. Registration is required by 6pm the previous Thursday so a meal can be provided. Email Amanda at cenker@ias.edu with questions.

The first three observing runs of the LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA gravitational wave detectors produced a wealth of "firsts," including the first observation of multiple "ringdown" modes from a black hole---the remnant of the first-ever binary black hole...