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Hotokezaka Lab
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A theoretical astrophysics lab that decodes mergers of neutron stars and black holes through gravitational waves and light.
AboutAbout the lab
Reading stellar mergers through gravitational waves and light
Hotokezaka Lab studies relativistic astrophysics.
Its focus is the gravitational waves emitted when black holes or neutron stars merge, and the objects that shine in light and radio waves as a result (electromagnetic counterparts).
While mainly conducting theoretical research, the lab also takes part in observational projects, covering a broad range from fundamental theory to phenomenology.
Key terms
- Gravitational waves
- Ripples in spacetime that travel at the speed of light, produced when massive objects move violently
- Neutron star
- An extremely dense star made almost entirely of neutrons, left behind after a massive star ends its life in an explosion
- Numerical relativity
- A method of studying the motion of astronomical objects by numerically solving the equations of Einstein's general relativity on computers
- Kilonova
- An astronomical object that glows from the heat of the radioactive decay of heavy elements produced in the matter ejected by a neutron star merger
ResearchResearch themes
In the fields of relativity and high-energy astrophysical phenomena, the lab studies, mainly from a theoretical perspective, the gravitational-wave and electromagnetic signals emitted when binaries of compact objects merge.
*Illustrative imageGravitational Waves from Neutron Star Mergers
Using numerical relativity simulations, the lab calculates the final moments of the merger of two neutron stars, and investigates the gravitational waveform, the matter ejected in the merger, and the formation of the object left behind.
*Illustrative imageKilonovae
Heavy elements are produced in the neutron-rich matter ejected by a neutron star merger, and the heat from their radioactive decay makes it glow from infrared to visible light. The lab theoretically studies how this object, called a kilonova, shines.
*Illustrative imageRadio Afterglows of Mergers
The lab investigates the properties of the radio emission produced when the fast outflow ejected by a merger collides with the surrounding gas, and whether it can be detected by observation. The lab also joined JAGWAR, a collaboration that interpreted the radio observations of GW170817, the first neutron star merger event.
*Illustrative imageOrigins of Binary Black Holes
Where the binary black holes discovered through gravitational waves were born is a major mystery. The lab uses the distribution of the spins of merging black holes to distinguish among the many proposed formation scenarios.
MembersFaculty
- Associate ProfessorKenta HotokezakaPublications ↗
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Artist NSIllustration CREDIT NSF LIGO Sonoma State University A. Simonnet” NSF/LIGO/Sonoma State University/A. Simonnet / Public domain (cropped)
- Gravitational Waves from Neutron Star Mergers: “Illustration of Colliding Neutron Stars (2005-grb050709-more-3)” (Illustration: NASA/D.Berry) / Public domain (cropped)
- Kilonovae: “Illustration of a Kilonova (2022-049)” ARTWORK: NASA, Joseph Olmsted (STScI) / Public domain (cropped)
- Radio Afterglows of Mergers: “VLA Antennas” The Modern Polymath / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Origins of Binary Black Holes: “MergingBinaryBlackHoles” NASA/Ames Research Center/Christopher E. Henze / Public domain (cropped)
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