Language:

IN THE PRESS

Marta Colleoni, new co-chair of the LISA Waveform Working Group

20 February, 2025

Marta Colleoni, a researcher at the University of the Balearic Islands, has been elected co-chair of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) Waveform Working Group. Marta’s appointment was the result of an international election process, with several candidates running for the position worldwide.

The Waveform Working Group aims to bring together researchers interested in developing gravitational waveform models for LISA and to foster collaborations with other groups working on different aspects of LISA science, such as the Astrophysics and Fundamental Physics Groups.

LISA is a space-based gravitational-wave detector, whose launch is scheduled in the mid-2030s. Gravitational waves are a prediction of Einstein’s theory of general relativity and provide a way to observe some phenomena that would be otherwise invisible, such as the collision of distant black holes.

LISA will consist of three spacecrafts flying in a triangular formation, separated by millions of kilometers. It will be able to detect GWs in a frequency range not accessible by current ground-based instruments like LIGO.

Thanks to LISA, we will gain unprecedented access to the properties of Galactic compact binaries and will be able to track the formation and evolution of massive black holes throughout cosmic history. LISA could also reveal fascinating details about the history of the Universe, from its early stages to its subsequent expansion.