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The department develops accurate analytical and numerical models of gravitational-wave sources, and uses them to analyse data, improving our ability to extract unique astrophysical and cosmological information from the observed signals, and testing Einstein’s theory of general relativity.

Research in this department covers mergers of binary neutron stars and mixed binaries – a black hole and a neutron star – as well as stellar core collapse that form black holes. The department also focuses on studying more fundamental aspects of General Relativity using numerical tools.

This department's research focus is on the development and operation of gravitational-wave detectors on Earth as well as in space. This comprises also a full range of supporting laboratory experiments in quantum optics and laser physics.

This department focuses on direct observational consequences of general relativity. This includes the search for and analysis of gravitational-wave signals in data from laser interferometers and pulsar timing arrays, and the operation of the Einstein@Home project, looking for weak radio, gamma-ray and gravitational-wave signals from spinning neutron stars.

This department’s research encompasses precision interferometry instrumentation for ground-based and space-based gravitational-wave observatories and laser-optical searches for fundamental interactions beyond the standard model.

This department attends to the development of a theory that unifies quantum theory and general relativity – in the framework of superstring theory as well as canonical quantization.