Open AccessGravitational Waves Detected with Help from High‐Purity Quartz Glass
Author(s) -
Takke Ralf,
Rollmann Klaus,
Wetterau Jörg
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
optik & photonik
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2191-1975
pISSN - 1863-1460
DOI - 10.1002/opph.201600021
Subject(s) - ligo , gravitational wave , general relativity , gravitational wave astronomy , physics , gravitational wave observatory , einstein telescope , observatory , astronomy , interferometry , einstein , astrophysics , theoretical physics , mathematical physics
A super‐high‐tech material made of quartz glass for gravitational wave detectors contributed to the proof of Einstein's general theory of relativity. In February 2016, experts from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational‐Wave Observatory LIGO Scientific Collaboration in the United States announced their sensational detection of gravitational waves, a discovery sure to be the basis for a Nobel Prize. The researchers struck gold with the help of a pair of enormous L‐shaped antennas, one in Livingston, Louisiana, the other in Hanford, Washington. The scientists detected a faint ripple in space‐time and recorded signals caused by the merger of two black holes. The discovery was made by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration which includes the German‐British GEO Collaboration, the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy and the Virgo Collaboration of Italy, France and others, using data from the two LIGO gravitational wave detectors.