Scribd
Upload
71 views

Gravitational Waves

1) Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime generated by accelerating masses like colliding black holes or neutron stars. 2) LIGO detects gravitational waves using laser interferometers that can measure tiny spacetime strains caused by passing gravitational waves. 3) In 2015, LIGO made the first direct observation of gravitational waves, opening an new window to observe the universe through gravitational wave astronomy.

Uploaded by

Sourabh Prakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
71 views

Gravitational Waves

1) Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime generated by accelerating masses like colliding black holes or neutron stars. 2) LIGO detects gravitational waves using laser interferometers that can measure tiny spacetime strains caused by passing gravitational waves. 3) In 2015, LIGO made the first direct observation of gravitational waves, opening an new window to observe the universe through gravitational wave astronomy.

Uploaded by

Sourabh Prakash
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 15

INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY ROORKEE

Gravitational Waves
An Introduction

Sourabh Prakash
17115096
Where it all started?

https://wallpapercave.com/download/isaac-newton-wallpapers-wp1893140

2
Gravity in Einstein’s Universe
“Spacetime tells matter how to move and matter tells
spacetime how to bend”
--John Wheeler

A mass in space creates a depression in space-time.


The greater the mass, the deeper will be the depression

3
courtesy : jarphys.worldpress.com

4
Practical applications of theory of
relativity

• Clocks run slower on the surface of the Earth than high above the
Earth
• To make the Global Positioning System(GPS) work, time has to be
adjusted

5
What are Gravitational waves?

• Gravitational waves are ripples in space-time


• Generated by masses that accelerate
• They are not the same thing as light
• Kinematics:
– Propagate at speed of light
– Transverse waves, strains in space

6
A Spiral Dance of Black Holes…

Image credit: LIGO/T. Pyle

7
What causes Gravitational waves?

• Strongest Gravitational waves are produced by –


– Colliding black holes
– Collapsing of stellar cores (supernovae)
– Coalescing neutron stars or white dwarf stars
– Slightly wobbly rotation of neutron stars that are not perfect
spheres
– Colliding galaxies
– Maybe the Big Bang itself

8
How to detect Gravitational waves?
LIGO – Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave
Observatory

• LIGO is a collaboration between the California Institute of


Technology (Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of
Technology (MIT)
• It is funded by National Science Foundation

9
The two Observatories…

LIGO – Hanford, Washington LIGO – Livingston, Louisiana

https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/WA/image/ligo20150731c
https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/WA/image/ligo20150731f

10
How Interferometers work?

https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/system/media_files/binaries/237/original/Basic_michelson_labeled.jpg?1435862648

11
12
Image credit: https://www.ligo.caltech.edu

13
References…
• https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/what-is-interferometer
• https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/ligos-ifo
• https://physics.info/general-relativity/

14
Thanks…

15

You might also like