SMASH Seminar: James Alvey - AI and the Era of Big Data Challenges for Gravitational Wave Astronomy

Speaker: James Alvey, University of Cambridge, England

Title: AI and the Era of Big Data Challenges for Gravitational Wave Astronomy

Abstract

The next generation of observatories, such as LISA and the Einstein Telescope, will usher in a big data era for gravitational wave astrophysics. These instruments will detect thousands of coincident signals, resulting in a complex data analysis challenge. Standard Bayesian inference techniques, such as MCMC and nested sampling, scale poorly with the high dimensionality of this problem, rendering a full analysis omputationally extremely challenging. In this seminar, I will discuss how I believe AI and machine learning can provide a viable path forward. I will pay particular attention to a class of Bayesian inference techniques called simulation-based inference (SBI) and discuss their application to the gravitational wave data analysis problem. I will also present a potential framework for integrating SBI and other GPU-based tools into a unified, scalable analysis pipeline.

After the seminar, we will be hosting a small gathering with light refreshments. It will be a wonderful opportunity to have discussions and to connect with fellow attendees