Research Funding Awarded to an Astrophysicist
Astrophysicist Michela Mapelli, based at the University of Innsbruck and the Observatory in Padua, Italy, has been awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant for her innovative "DEMOBLACK" project. The grant, worth up to 2 million euros over five years, will support Mapelli's research into the formation and evolution of binary black holes.
Since 2011, Mapelli has been a permanent researcher at the Observatory in Padua, part of the Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF). In 2017, she also became a professor at the Institute for Astro- and Particle Physics at the University of Innsbruck, where she heads the extragalactic astrophysics research group.
The DEMOBLACK project aims to address a significant gap in current models by focusing on dynamically formed binary black holes, which are not well-studied. By combining SEVN, a population synthesis code, a hydrodynamic code, and an N-body code, Mapelli plans to develop a practical explanation model for the occurrence of binary black holes. This work could contribute to making predictions for future observations with gravitational wave interferometers.
Gravitational waves, ripples in the fabric of spacetime produced by violent cosmic events, provide valuable insights into the universe. The study of binary black holes is crucial for understanding these waves, as their mergers are among the most significant sources of gravitational waves. By studying the demographics of these binaries, such as their masses, spins, and merger rates, researchers can gain insights into the formation channels of black holes, the environments in which they form, and how they interact with their surroundings.
The European Research Council (ERC) supports innovative and groundbreaking research across Europe, and its backing is crucial for advancing frontier research and opening up new fields of knowledge. The DEMOBLACK project is the fifteenth awarded to a researcher at the University of Innsbruck, reflecting the institution's commitment to cutting-edge research.
Throughout her career, Mapelli's work has been recognised with several awards, including the MERAC Prize for Best Early Career Researcher in Theoretical Astrophysics by the European Astronomical Society (EAS). Born in Milan in 1977, Mapelli's contributions to the field of astrophysics continue to push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe's evolution and structure.
Science and finance intersect as the DEMOBLACK project, awarded an ERC Consolidator Grant worth up to 2 million euros over five years, relying on this funding to delve into the science of binary black holes. The innovative research conducted by astrophysicist Michela Mapelli could significantly impact future finance-driven projects in space-and-astronomy, particularly those focusing on gravitational wave interferometry.
