dr. M.E. Ravasio (Maria Edvige)

My research activity is mainly focused on Gamma-Ray Bursts (GRBs), powerful flashes of gamma-rays that illuminate the sky for a very brief period of time. These events are linked to the most violent events in the Universe, marking the death of a massive star or the merger of two compact objects, like neutron stars and black holes. My main interest lies in the high-energy part of the short and bright emission, called prompt, and in particular, I combine data analysis and theory to understand what are the physical parameters that allow releasing such a huge amount of energy in a tiny fraction of its lifetime, and the physical mechanisms behind them.

I am currently involved in the study of a new emerging class of X-ray transients, which may be linked to the final stages of the life of compact binary objects.