Galactic and extragalactic astrophysics
Field of study: Astronomy and physics
Description: In the context of relativistic astrophysics, our focus is to explore the properties of compact stars, such as neutron stars and white dwarfs, in scenarios of extreme gravity, rotation, and magnetism. We employ ray-tracing techniques in relativistic metrics to model the propagation of light and radiation around these objects, enabling a detailed analysis of phenomena such as gravitational lensing and the formation of multiple images. We also investigate the light curves resulting from electromagnetic emission, especially in situations modulated by rotation, matter accretion, and thermal pulses. With the advancement of detector sensitivity and the imminent arrival of new instruments for electromagnetic, gravitational wave, and ultra-high-energy particle observations, a new era of precise exploration of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes is opening. This line of research is also dedicated to investigating fundamental questions of the new era of astronomy, including the presence of dark matter in galaxies, using rotation curves as the main observable. We also analyze small-scale anomalies, such as the cusp/core problem, missing satellites, and the "too big to fail" issue, as well as explore modified gravity models like MOND and TeVeS. On extragalactic scales, we study the dynamics of galaxies in clusters and the role of dark matter and dark energy in virialized structures, developing numerical and semi-analytical simulations for a deeper understanding of these phenomena. With multi-messenger astronomy, we have significantly advanced our understanding of gravitational waves, compact objects, and high-energy physics. Compact stars are established as ideal laboratories for investigating the micro and macrophysics of superdense matter. Multi-messenger observations, encompassing X-rays, gamma rays, radio waves, gravitational waves, and neutrinos, have been essential in expanding our understanding of the structure of these extreme objects. Since the discovery of pulsars, our understanding of these bodies has deepened, although many mysteries still persist. Pulsars remain fundamental for studying physics under extreme conditions, characterized by intense gravity, high magnetic fields, and elevated densities. Our project focuses on investigating the structure of compact stars, analyzing the effects of intense magnetic fields, high rotation, matter accretion, and electromagnetic counterparts of gravitational wave events. Our goal is to improve the understanding of the observed phenomenology and the theoretical mechanisms that underpin these extreme phenomena.
