Abstract: In this talk, I will first discuss the challenges one faces when trying to explain the observed late-time acceleration of our Universe, due to the obstacles which the yet unkown physics of dark energy and dark matter place when we try to understand the true theory of gravity at large scales. In this context, I will further explain how model-independent observables have the potential to reveal whether gravity is truly modified at large scales, and will describe a fundamental, underlying relation between large-scale modifications of gravity and the (non-trivial) propagation of gravitational waves, as well as its observational implications for cosmology and astrophysics.
The kick off meeting of the RISE network StronGrHEP, took place on May 12th-13th 2016, in the Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris. Photo: the coordinates of the five European nodes, C. Herdeiro, E. Barausse, U. Sperhake, V. Cardoso and L. Gualtieri by the statue of the great Urbain Le Verrier.
Abstract: I will present my main research topics on transiting exoplanets. I will star by exemplifying the discovery of exoplanets from the K2 mission. I will present the K2 pipeline and show how we find candidates that are later confirmed with follow-up observations.
The ceremony for distinguising the recipients of the 2015 Gulbenkian Prizes for Stimulus of Research, took place on March 9th 2016, at the Gulbenkian Foundation, in Lisbon. Pedro Cunha was awarded one of the prizes for his project on "Black Hole Shadows".
Abstract: The ESO/GRAVITY is an adaptive optics and fringe tracker assisted K-band interferometric spectrograph. The instrument development started in the last decade and reached first fringes with the auxiliary telescopes in December 2015.
Pedro Cunha did his undergraduate in Physics and M.Sc in Astrophysics, both at the University of Coimbra. His M.Sc. thesis was already done within Gr@v under the supervision of C. Herdeiro. Pedro is pursuing his Ph.D. studies at the University of Aveiro and IST-Lisbon.
Our group coordinated the "Numerical Relativity and High Energy Physics" IRSES network (2012-2015). Here is a list of the global network meetings organized:
