The Next Breakthrough Multi-Messenger Gravitational-Wave Discoveries

天体物理学正在进入一个发现的黄金时代，在这个时代，我们现在可以使用两种不同的“宇宙信使”的组合来研究宇宙：望远镜探测到的光，以及被称为引力波的时空涟漪。2017年8月17日，双中子星合并GW170817的突破性发现预示着多信使引力波天体物理学的曙光，这是第一个在光波和引力波中共同探测到的天文源。对这一单一合并的望远镜观测现在正在解决天体物理学中各种各样的基本问题，包括极端密度下物质的性质，元素周期表上最重元素的起源，以及宇宙的膨胀率。然而，这些见解也提出了大量的新问题，迫切需要望远镜对引力波探测器探测到的更多双中子星合并进行后续观测。我的研究计划雄心勃勃，旨在通过引力波探测双中子星合并的电磁发射，建立一个协调的模型。我使用了一系列世界级的望远镜来跟踪和研究这些剧烈合并产生的电磁辐射。我是加拿大多信使天体物理学联盟的核心成员，该联盟在电磁频谱上建立了一套精心设计的望远镜计划，以实现这一科学愿景。我将使用这些望远镜项目，使用加拿大-法国-夏威夷望远镜，对每次合并的千新星进行宽视场成像搜索，对千新星发射进行光度光学/红外监测，使用双子座天文台获得并分析光学/红外光谱，使用钱德拉x射线天文台获得x射线观测，并使用Jansky VLA望远镜获得射电观测。这些程序中的每一个都为双中子星合并的多信使之谜做出了重要贡献。多信使天体物理学的发现将很快迅速加速，我的研究项目已经完全准备好取得下一个突破。引力波探测器预计将在未来五年内发现数十个新的双中子星合并，每一个都有可探测的电磁发射。正如全球媒体对首次双中子星合并GW170817的强烈关注所证明的那样，这一研究前沿也吸引了公众的想象力。因此，我的雄心勃勃和有影响力的研究计划将为双中子星合并的详细天体物理学提供基本见解，并在国际舞台上展示加拿大在这一新兴领域的领导地位和创新。

Astrophysics is entering a golden era of discovery, in which we can now study the Universe using a combination of two distinct 'cosmic messengers': light as detected by telescopes, and ripples in space-time called gravitational waves. The dawn of multi-messenger gravitational wave astrophysics was heralded by the 17 August 2017 breakthrough discovery of the binary neutron star merger GW170817, which was the first astronomical source to be jointly detected in both light and gravitational waves. Telescope observations of this single merger are now addressing a diverse array of fundamental questions in astrophysics, including the nature of matter at extreme densities, the origin of the heaviest elements on the periodic table, and the expansion rate of the Universe. However, these insights also raised a plethora of new questions that urgently demand telescope follow-up observations of more binary neutron star mergers detected by gravitational wave detectors. My research program ambitiously aims to build a concordant model of electromagnetic emission from binary neutron star mergers detected through gravitational waves. I use an array of world-class telescopes to follow-up and study the electromagnetic emission from these violent mergers. I am a core member of a Canada-wide coalition for multi-messenger astrophysics that has established a carefully-designed suite of telescope programs across the electromagnetic spectrum to fulfill this scientific vision. I will use these telescope programs to conduct wide-field imaging searches for a kilonova counterpart from each merger using the Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope, perform photometric optical/infrared monitoring of the kilonova emission, obtain and analyze optical/infrared spectroscopy using the Gemini Observatory, obtain X-ray observations using the Chandra X-ray Observatory, and obtain radio observations using the Jansky VLA telescope. Each of these programs contributes a critical piece to the multi-messenger puzzle of binary neutron star mergers. Discoveries in multi-messenger astrophysics will soon rapidly accelerate, and my research program is perfectly poised to make the next breakthroughs. Gravitational wave detectors are forecasted to discover dozens of new binary neutron star mergers over the next five years, each with detectable electromagnetic emission. As evidenced by the intense world-wide media attention surrounding the first binary neutron star merger GW170817, this research frontier has also captured the imagination of the general public. Thus, my ambitious and impactful research program will provide fundamental insights into the detailed astrophysics of binary neutron star mergers, and showcase Canadian leadership and innovation in this nascent field on an international stage.