When neutron stars collide they create both light and gravitational waves. Researchers at Stockholm University are studying these collisions in the hope they will find the answer to fundamental questions – such as how the heaviest elements are formed, and how fast the universe is expanding.
The direct detection of gravitational waves has opened a completely new chapter in the study of gravity and the physics of the most compact objects in nature, black holes and neutron stars, especially using the electromagnetic counterparts
The ZTF project uses a robotic telescope on Palomar in California to search for cosmic explosions like supernovae (exploding stars) or kilonovae (colliding neutronstars). Several groups at the Department of Astronomy and the Department of Physics use these data to understand supernova physics, cosmology or the creation of the heavy elements in the universe.
