Basic Introduction to Gravitational Wave and its detection by LIGO

According to Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity, gravity is the phenomenon resulting from the curvature of space time fabric and mass is the gravitational effect that curves space time sheet. When two massive bodies are accelerating through the space time, the curvature of the space time gets distorted and that passes through the fabric with a velocity of light in free space in a wave like manner. This is called Gravitational Wave which are the ripples formed on space time fabric. It can be within 10-7Hz to 1011Hz. Gravitational Wave can penetrate more regions in the space that’s why it allows us a deep observation about the objects in the distant galaxies and the merger of the black hole, but EM wave has some restrictions respect to GW. Due to GW, distance between two bodies gets increased and decreased in a rhythmic way and that forms an oscillation which has the same frequency as that of GW. Basically a binary neutron star system, black holes are the source of GW. A binary neutron star system that is rotating around each other(shown in fig.) in an in-spiral motion, comes closer to each other due to loss of energy and collide and generates GW. Besides, two objects orbiting around each other, will orbit the sun and form GW. A supernova will radiate except in the unlikely event that the explosion is perfectly symmetric. Like the sound, water and other EM waves, GW also carries energy, linear and angular momentum etc. and gets spread away from the source. As, in this case, gravity itself is the cause of distortion of space time, that’s why the red shifting of GW is different from the red shifting due to gravity. GW is detected by LIGO(Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory). The principle of LIGO depends on theMichelson  Interferometer.  LIGO  has  been  proposed  in  India.  The primary  interferometer  consists  of  two  arms  of  3-4  km  in  length that   forms  power  recycled  interferometer.  The  two  separated beams  recombine  at  the  beam  splitter  and  they  are  kept  out  of phase,  light  waves  subtract  and  no  light  should  arrive  at  the  photo diode.  When  a  GW  is  passing  through  the  interferometer,  the distance  along  the  arms  are  shortened  and  lengthened,  causing  the beams  to  be  slightly  out  of  phase.  This  results  in  the  beams coming  in  phase  and  some  light  arrives  at  the  photo  diode.  Light that  doesn't  contain  any  signal  is  back  to  the  interferometer  using  a power  recycling  mirror.  Observers  compare  the  signals  from  both sites to reduce the effect of noise. Thus,  LIGO  is  detecting  GW  and  conducting  observations  to collect  informations  about  the  deep  universe.  Many  of  them  has successfully  been  completed  and  many  are  under  processing.  It’s now  has  been  one  of  the  most  demanding  branches  of  space science and is  a  great mile stone for future obviously. 

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