GW strong lensing
Developing searches for strongly lensed GWs and assessing their scientific implications for astrophysics and cosmology.
Gravitational-wave astronomy · Bayesian inference
Ankur Barsode
Postdoctoral fellow researching astronomy, astrophysics, and cosmology using gravitational waves (GWs).
Chennai Mathematical Institute · Chennai, India
Profile
About
I am a postdoctoral fellow at the Chennai Mathematical Institute. My research centres on searching for lensed GWs and using them to deepen our understanding of the universe. Alongside my research, I contribute to teaching, mentorship, and public outreach.
Programme
Research interests
Bayesian inference
Designing statistical methods for robust and reliable model selection.
Scientific computing
Applying efficient numerical and machine-learning methods to accelerate demanding calculations in GW data analysis.
Current focus
Estimating statistical significance
Estimating statistical significance in GW strong lensing searches is challenging because the calculation must scale to large event catalogues. I am developing methods that preserve statistical rigour while making this problem computationally tractable.
Searching for multiple images
Identifying multiple images is difficult because the number of possible triplets and quadruplets grows rapidly with the catalogue. I am exploring efficient strategies for searching this combinatorial space without sacrificing sensitivity.
Output
Publications
- 1
Barsode, Ankur. Tool for Accurate Model Selection Using Bayes Factors. Physical Review D, vol. 114, article 064045, 2026. ↗
- 2
Barsode, Ankur, Koustav N. Maity, and Parameswaran Ajith. Search for Strong Lensing of Gravitational Waves in the Binary Black Hole Events from O1–O4a. The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 1009, no. 1, article 43, 2026. ↗
- 3
Barsode, Ankur, Koustav N. Maity, and Parameswaran Ajith. Lensing, Not Luck! Detection Prospects of Strongly Lensed Gravitational Waves. The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 998, no. 2, article 294, 2026. ↗
- 4
Barsode, Ankur, Srashti Goyal, and Parameswaran Ajith. Fast and Efficient Bayesian Method to Search for Strongly Lensed Gravitational Waves. The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 980, no. 2, article 258, 2025. ↗
- 5
Barsode, Ankur, and Tirthankar Roy Choudhury. Efficient Hybrid Technique for Generating Sub-Grid Haloes in Reionization Simulations. Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, no. 11, article 036, 2024. ↗
- 6
Barsode, Ankur, S. J. Kapadia, and Parameswaran Ajith. Constraints on Compact Dark Matter from the Nonobservation of Gravitational-Wave Strong Lensing. The Astrophysical Journal, vol. 975, no. 1, article 48, 2024. ↗
- 7
Barsode, Ankur, and Aneesh A. M. Bypassing Traditional Molecular Dynamics with Artificial Neural Networks. AIP Conference Proceedings, 2023. ↗
- 8
Maity, Koustav N., Souvik Jana, Ankur Barsode, Tejaswi Venumadhav, and Parameswaran Ajith. Probing Dark Matter with Strongly Lensed Binary Black Hole Mergers: Prospects in the Near Future. arXiv, arXiv:2609.05020, 2026. ↗
- 9
Maity, Koustav N., Souvik Jana, Tejaswi Venumadhav, Ankur Barsode, and Parameswaran Ajith. Strong Lensing Cosmography Using Binary-Black-Hole Mergers: Prospects for the Near Future. Physical Review D, vol. 113, no. 10, article 103522, 2026. ↗
- 10
Wright, Mick, et al. LensingFlow: An Automated Workflow for Gravitational Wave Lensing Analyses. RAS Techniques and Instruments, vol. 5, article rzag003, 2026. ↗
- 11
The LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the Virgo Collaboration, and the KAGRA Collaboration. GWTC-4.0: Searches for Gravitational-Wave Lensing Signatures. arXiv, arXiv:2512.16347, 2025. ↗
For a complete record, visit INSPIREHEP or Google Scholar.
Journey
Experience
2026 — Present
Postdoctoral Fellow
Chennai Mathematical Institute
Conducting research on GW lensing and the statistical methods required to identify lensed events.
2021 — 2026
PhD Student
ICTS, TIFR
Conducted research on GW lensing and the statistical methods required to identify lensed events.
Dec 2022 — Present
Member
LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA Collaboration
Contributing to searches for signatures of GW lensing.
Jan — Jul 2021
Long-term research student
NCRA
Worked on cosmological simulations for my MSc thesis.
May — Jul 2020
Summer research student
NCRA
Undertook research in radio astronomy and pulsars.
Foundation
Education
PhD in Physics (thesis submitted)
International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, TIFR · 2021–2026
Thesis: Detecting strong gravitational lensing of gravitational waves
Dual Degree — BE in Mechanical Engineering & MSc in Physics
BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus · 2016–2021
Community
Teaching & Outreach
I have lectured and tutored at the ICTS GW Open Data Workshop (GWODW) in 2024, 2025, and 2026. I have also co-advised a master's thesis and mentored a junior PhD researcher within my group.
I am involved in public engagement with science; visit the outreach page for more.