Sterl Phinney

Theoretical High-Energy and Gravitational Wave Astrophysics

My students, postdocs and I use pencils, chalk and computers to explore the extremes of the universe: the deepest potential wells, the densest matter, the hottest plasma; i.e. black holes, neutron stars and the early universe. The goals are to understand how they work, and how they came to be. I believe the best way to answer many long-standing questions about these extremes of physics is to combine electromagnetic and gravitational wave observations of the sources. Examples of such questions are: Are astrophysical black holes actually the vacuum Kerr solutions of general relativity? How do accretion disks work? When and how did the black holes in galactic nuclei form and grow? What powers gamma-ray bursts? How do single and binary neutron stars and black holes form and merge? What happens inside a neutron star that accretes matter? What caused inflation? Much of my current research involves making theoretical predictions of observable phenomena that can help answer these questions.

This plan requires that gravitational waves actually be detected, so I also work to make that happen. LIGO is becoming more and more exciting as upgrades improve its sensitivity. Since 1997 I have been deeply involved in the ESA/NASA gravitational wave mission LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), on which I currently serve on the International Science Team and as chair of the Science Working Group. I was also Principal Investigator of a NASA concept study for a follow-on mission, the Big Bang Observer. This taught me that optics and hardware design is almost as fun as theoretical astrophysics, but politics is not.
