Lecture on ‘Striking Gold with Gravitational Waves’ organised by IUCAA 

The Inter-University Centre for Astronomy & Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune will host a senior-level Japanese delegation from the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) on Monday. This includes Dr Mamoru Doi (director general of NAOJ), Dr Michitoshi Yoshida (vice-director general of NAOJ) and Dr Satoshi Miyazaki (director of Subaru Observatory, NAOJ). They would present and discuss possibilities of future collaboration with Indian astronomers. 

As part of this, an open talk by a visiting scientist has been organised on Monday, February 24 at 6.30 pm at the amphitheatre, Fergusson College. 

As per the information given by the IUCAA, the origin of many elements heavier than iron, including gold, has long been a mystery. A Kilonova – a powerful explosion associated with the merging of neutron stars – is one of the most promising sites for the rapid neutron capture process that can produce these elements.  

In this talk, Dr Yoshida will introduce the observations of the gravitational waves from GW170817 and discuss the current status of multimessenger astronomy in the search for the cosmic origins of gold. 

This will be part of the special “Chandra Public Lecture” series by IUCAA. 

The talk is organised in collaboration with the Deccan Education Society’s Fergusson College, which also hosts the IUCAA Centre for Astronomy Research and Development (ICARD).