GAnG - Dr Michalis Agathos

Next-Generation Gravitational Wave Tests for Fundamental Physics

Primary Supervisor: Dr Michalis Agathos

Project description:

In 2015 we opened a new window to the Universe and entered a new era in astronomy, with the first detection of gravitational waves (GWs) by our network of ground-based interferometers (LIGO, Virgo, and, more recently, KAGRA). Gravitational waves are a direct prediction of Einstein's theory or relativity (GR). They are emitted by the most extreme astrophysical events in the Universe, such as mergers of black holes and neutron stars, or supernova explosions, where spacetime is curved and warped to its limits. These cosmic messengers carry valuable information about the nature of gravity, the dynamics of spacetime and the properties of matter at extreme conditions. A wealth of GW observations to date have led to a long list of exciting discoveries in fundamental physics and astrophysics.

To faithfully extract scientific insights from GW signals, both our models and our data analysis methods must be accurate, complete, and computationally efficient. Testing the limits of GR under extreme conditions requires not only detailed and reliable models of potential alternatives but also sophisticated data analysis methods capable of distinguishing them from GR. At the same time, the increasing sensitivity of our detector network—and the advent of next-generation instruments like the Einstein Telescope (ET) and LISA—promise much longer, louder, and more frequent signals, presenting new challenges in terms of computational demands and model precision.

This PhD project aims to develop next-generation methods for extracting fundamental physics from GW observations, focusing on both source modeling and data analysis. The PhD student will work at the interface of numerical relativity, data analysis, and theory, leveraging recent breakthroughs in GW phenomenology of black holes and exotic compact objects in GR and beyond. These insights will be used to design new inference algorithms for identifying strong-field deviations from GR in observational data.

The PhD student, under the guidance of Dr. Agathos, and in collaboration with other members of the group, will:

• use data from numerical simulations in alternative theories in tandem with theoretical calculations to better understand GW signatures beyond GR;
• develop and optimize data analysis techniques—including Bayesian inference and machine learning approaches—to detect and characterize these signatures;
• apply these tools to real data from current detectors and evaluate their performance on simulated signals expected from future observatories.

The project will be supervised by Dr. Agathos in the School of Mathematical Sciences at Queen Mary University of London and will involve collaboration with international partners through the LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA (LVK), Einstein Telescope (ET), and LISA collaborations. The student will have opportunities to contribute to global collaborative efforts, engage with a global network of experts, and participate in international workshops.

We are looking for highly motivated candidates with a strong background in theoretical and computational physics, or applied mathematics, and with experience in scientific programming.

Funding Notes:

If you wish to inquire about the project, please contact the supervisor Dr Michalis Agathos (m.agathos@qmul.ac.uk).

How to apply 
Entry requirements 
Fees and funding