Prof. Kevin Burdge

Kevin Burdge is an observational astrophysicist focused on discovering and characterizing compact binary systems—pairs of stellar remnants such as white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes. These systems provide exceptional laboratories for exploring compact-object physics, accretion processes, stellar evolution, and explosive cosmic events, including Type Ia supernovae.

His research leverages next-generation observatories, including the Vera Rubin Observatory, the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, and the upcoming Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA), to discover and study large, diverse populations of compact binaries. By combining gravitational-wave detections with multi-wavelength electromagnetic observations, Burdge and his group aim to understand how these systems form, evolve, and influence their cosmic environments. His team has significantly expanded the known population of gravitational-wave sources detectable by LISA, identifying rare binary systems and exotic merger remnants that offer unique opportunities to test general relativity and models of binary evolution. This discovery-driven work is supported by innovative GPU-based algorithms developed by his group.

Burdge has also used Gaia astrometry to discover the first known black hole in a triple-star system and maintains a strong interest in X-ray binary systems. Additionally, he develops specialized astronomical instrumentation, such as the ultrafast “Lightspeed” camera for the Magellan telescopes, enabling rapid photometric studies of faint, fast astrophysical phenomena. He is pioneering time-domain research with the James Webb Space Telescope, investigating dense stellar environments like globular clusters and the Galactic center to uncover hidden populations of compact binaries. Burdge is a member of the science team for the Advanced X-ray Imaging Satellite (AXIS), where he led the design of a proposed Galactic-plane survey expected to reveal over a million new X-ray sources.