About
Christopher Whittall is a Postgraduate Researcher based in the School of Mathematical Sciences at the University of Southampton.
Christopher's research focuses on general relativity, specifically the self-force approach to 2-body motion.
Research
Research groups
Research interests
- General Relativity
- Self-force
- Black Holes
- Gravitational Waves
- EMRIs
Current research
Christopher's current research focuses on the self-force approach to the 2-body problem in general relativity.
The aim of his current project is to develop a frequency-domain code to calculate the self-force along hyperbolic orbits around Schwarzschild black holes. Such a frequency-domain code has the potential for high accuracy and efficiency, but there are challenges when working with unbound orbits in the frequency-domain. To investigate and resolve these challenges, a scalar field toy model is being used, with the aim of eventually moving on to gravity.
Thesis title: Frequency-domain approach to self-force in hyperbolic scattering
Supervisors: Prof. Leor Barack and Dr Adam Pound
Date started: September 2020
Publications
Biography
Before joining the University of Southampton as a postgraduate researcher, Christopher studied for BA and MMath degrees in mathematics at the University of Cambridge.