First direct detection of gravitational waves

Limits on direct detection of gravitational waves.

We compute energy density and strain induced by a primordial spectrum of gravitational waves on terrestrialand space-based detectors (e.g., LIGO) as constrained by the COBE detection of microwave background anisotropy. For the case where the spectrum is created during in ation, we nd new, stricter upper bounds on the induced strain, making detection unlikely. However, detectors might be useful ...

The First Detection of Gravitational Waves

This article deals with the first detection of gravitational waves by the advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors on 14 September 2015, where the signal was generated by two stellar mass black holes with masses 36 M and 29 M that merged to form a 62 M black hole, releasing 3 M energy in gravitational waves, almost 1.3 billion years ago. We begin by providin...

The first direct detection of gravitational waves opens a vast new frontier in astronomy

THE first direct detection of gravitational waves (GWs), announced on 11 February 2016, has opened a vast new frontier in astronomy. Albert Einstein predicted the existence of these waves about a century ago as a consequence of his general theory of relativity. Radio astronomy observations of the binary pulsar system PSR 1913 + 16 over a 20 year period beginning in 1975 provided strong observat...

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory and the First Direct Observation of Gravitational Waves

The detection of Gravitational Waves

This chapter is concerned with the question: how do gravitational waves (GWs) interact with their detectors? It is intended to be a theoretical review of the fundamental concepts involved in interferometric and acoustic (Weber bar) GW antennas. In particular, the type of signal the GW deposits in the detector in each case will be assessed, as well as its intensity and deconvolution. Brief refer...