Redundancia de la DMU (Data Management Unit) para el LTP (LISA Test-Flight Package)

We have performed numerical simulations of black holes in the framework of general relativity for the purpose of using them in the analysis of gravitational wave data from gravitational wave detectors, LIGO, VIRGO and LISA, and for the analysis of experimental data from parton-parton collisions as performed at the LHC. Specifically, we have evolved two types of black-hole binaries: (i) The inspiral of astrophysical binary systems, considered to be among the most promising sources of gravitational waves to be detected with detectors such as LIGO, VIRGO or LISA. (ii) High-energy collisions of black holes for the purpose of modeling particle collisions as performed at the LHC which might result in the formation of black holes according to certain models invoking extra dimensions to explain the hierarchy problem in physics.

LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is a future joint mission between NASA and ESA whose main goal is to detect and analyze gravitational radiation from several astrophysical and cosmological sources. It is expected that the discoveries that will be made using LISA observations will revolutionize our knowledge in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics. Two of the main sources of gravitational waves that LISA will observe are: (i) the inspiral, merger and ringdown of a binary black hole (around one million times the mass of the Sun) throughout the observable universe, and (ii) the inspiral of a stellar compact object (1 to 50 times the mass of the Sun) into a massive black hole sitting at a galactic center, also known as Extreme-Mass-Ratio Inspirals (EMRIs). Numerical simulations of these systems are crucial to obtain precise theoretical waveform templates that will be use to separate the signals from the LISA noise, and also to estimate with precision the physical parameters of the systems. These simulations are done in the context of the General Theory of Relativity and its perturbative version. In the case of the full theory we have non-linear system of couple Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) whereas in the case of the perturbative theory we have to deal with the linearized version of the equations.

LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) is a future joint mission between NASA and ESA whose main goal is to detect and analyze gravitational radiation from several astrophysical and cosmological sources. It is expected that the discoveries that will be made using LISA observations will revolutionize our knowledge in astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics. Two of the main sources of gravitational waves that LISA will observe are: (i) the inspiral, merger and ringdown of a binary black hole (around one million times the mass of the Sun) throughout the observable universe, and (ii) the inspiral of a stellar compact object (1 to 50 times the mass of the Sun) into a massive black hole sitting at a galactic center, also known as Extreme-Mass-Ratio Inspirals (EMRIs). Numerical simulations of these systems are crucial to obtain precise theoretical waveform templates that will be use to separate the signals from the LISA noise, and also to estimate with precision the physical parameters of the systems. These simulations are done in the context of the General Theory of Relativity and its perturbative version. In the case of the full theory we have non-linear system of couple Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) whereas in the case of the perturbative theory we have to deal with the linearized version of the equations.

The European Space Agency, together with its country members, is developing a space mission that will put a gravitational-wave observatory in space. Spain is one of the main participants, and has already contributed, via the Institute of Space Sciences (CSIC-IEEC), with key instrumentation for the precursor mission, LISA PathFinder. The main goal of this observatory is to detect and analyze gravitational radiation from several astrophysical and cosmological sources. Two of the main LISA sources will be: (i) the inspiral, merger and ringdown of a black hole binary (with masses around one million times the mass of the Sun) throughout the observable universe. (ii) The inspiral of a stellar compact object (1 to 50 times the mass of the Sun) into a massive black hole sitting at a galactic center, also known as Extreme-Mass-Ratio Inspirals (EMRIs). Observations of these systems are expected to produce discoveries that will revolutionize our knowledge in the areas of astrophysics, cosmology, and fundamental physics. Numerical simulations of these systems are crucial to obtain precise theoretical waveform templates that will be use to separate the signals from the instrumental noise, and also to estimate with precision the physical parameters of the systems. These simulations have to solve the non-linear Partial Differential Equations of General Relativity (Einstein field equations), or the linearized version in the case of EMRIs. The main goal of this project is to use the CESGA resources to perform these simulations.

The French-Italian Concordia station is located in the Antarctic plateau at an altitude of 3280 m a.s.l. The low temperatures, the low humidity and the absence of catabatic winds make it one of the best sites for near- and mid-infrared astronomical observing. The 80 cm IRAIT telescope (International Robotic Antarctic Infrared Telescope) is planned to be installed at the Concordia station. The telescope is fully robotic and has been designed to study cool stellar objects in the Galaxy as well as to serve as a test bed for the establishment of a future Antarctic astronomical observatory. The participation of the institute, in collaboration with the Universidad de Granada and the technological company NTE, is focused on the design and construction of the secondary and tertiary mirrors, as well as the mountings and mobile structures that need to operate in the harsh Antarctic conditions.

LISA, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna, is a joint mission between the European Space Agency and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (USA) scheduled to fly in about 10 years. Its primary scientific goal is to carry out low-frequency gravitational wave astronomy, opening in this way a completely new window to the exploration of the universe that is expected to lead to dramatic discoveries in astrophysics and cosmology, as well as tests of the validity of general relativity. The main aim of this proposal is to contribute to the development of LISA science by focusing on the study of one of the main LISA targets: The inspiral, driven by gravitational radiation emission, of compact objects into supermassive black holes sitting at the galactic centers. Of particular relevance are the so-called extreme-mass-ratio inspirals (EMRIs). The main goals of the research planned in this proposal are: (i) Simulations of EMRIs and other Inspirals: In order to extract the signals produced by these systems, which will be buried in instrumental noise and the gravitational wave foreground, and later extract relevant physical information from them, we need to have an a priori theoretical knowledge of the gravitational waveforms with a certain degree of precision. This knowledge can be obtained from simulations of these inspirals using perturbative general relativity. (ii) LISA phenomenology: To explore possible astrophysical scenarios that can lead to inspirals inside the LISA band, and to investigate the type and quality of the information that could be extracted from different inspiral mechanisms.

Project includes LPF mission preparation and follow-up as well magnetic diagnostics research for LISA. It also includes GW Astronomy research: waveform generation of interesting sources and adapted data analysis techniques.

The main goal of this project was to develop a complete new front-end plus base-band signal processor, to gather GPS-R signals for Earth Remote Sensing. Special care has been taken on the physical layer of the signal processing chain, in order to minimize to the least the distorsion effects introduced by the receiving system. The reason for that is to make gathered signals more close to the ideal ones.

Summer visit to Fermilab to work on simulations and photometric redshifts to study dark energy