Advances in Modeling Gravitational-Wave Sources

Abstract: Gravitational waves detected by advanced ground-based interferometers have given us an unprecedented look at the universe. Yet, a central mystery remains: How are sources of gravitational waves — in particular, mergers of stellar-mass compact objects — formed in nature? In this talk, I will describe state-of-the art techniques for characterizing and simulating pairs of black holes and neutron stars. To conclude, I will argue that a multi-pronged approach combining both model-agnostic data analysis and detailed simulations will help unlock the histories of compact objects.