Seminar by E. Dimastrogiovanni: “Probing the Early Universe with Gravitational Wave Anisotropies”

Title: “Probing the Early Universe with Gravitational Wave Anisotropies”

Speaker: E. Dimastrogiovanni (Groningen)

Venue & Time: Red Room / 15:00

Abstract: Gravitational-wave astronomy is opening a new window onto the Universe. Beyond the signals from individual events, such as merging black holes, we are beginning to uncover a background of gravitational waves that may carry traces of the very early Universe. Many different processes can contribute to this background, so how can we distinguish between them? Looking only at its strength and frequency dependence may not be enough. In this talk, I will explore another possibility: investigating the small variations in the gravitational-wave signal across the sky. These anisotropies may help us identify its origins and become a powerful new probe of inflation. I will then discuss how combining the gravitational-wave sky with the cosmic microwave background can help us search for primordial signals that might otherwise remain hidden.