- Oct. 23, 2020, 4:00 pm US/Central
- Karan Jani, Vanderbilt University
A new gravitational-wave signal detected by the LIGO and Virgo experiments marks the first direct observation of the elusive intermediate-mass black holes. This detection also confirms there exists a new class of black holes in a prohibited mass-gap. In this talk, I will discuss the process that went behind inferring the properties of this historic discovery. I would briefly address the alternative scenarios we looked into for a possible exotic origin of this signal, including any violation of General Relativity. I would highlight how this discovery reinforces the science case for the next-generation gravitational-wave experiments in space and the Moon.