Title: Black-hole binaries in Einstein-dilaton Gauss-Bonnet gravity
Speaker: Helvi Witek (Kings College London)
Abstract: Despite the ever stronger observational support for general relativity (GR) as our standard model of gravity, open questions concerning, e.g., the nature of dark matter or the reconciliation of GR with quantum physics indicate the existence of a more fundamental theory of quantum gravity. While the exact theory is unknown, most candidate theories of quantum gravity predict modifications to GR. Black holes, and the gravitational wave signal emitted during their collision, provide a novel way to search for signatures of these underlying theories.
In the present talk I will focus on Einstein-dilaton Gauss-Bonnet gravity that involves higher curvature corrections to GR. In particular, I will report on the first studies of black-hole collisions in this theory.