14 billion years ago there was a so-called. The Big Bang. The universe, which was the low point, he began to expand rapidly – faster than the speed of light. This moment is called inflation. 8 billion years later they formed the sun. The Earth, in turn, formed after the next 500 million years. Scientific instruments still detect traces of these events. To this day, we record an echo of what has happened in the universe billions of years ago. The latest breakthrough is echoed register gravitational waves. What are they and why it is so important achievement for science?
A long time ago, in a distant galaxy, namely a little over a billion years ago, there was a powerful collision of two black holes . One, equal to 29 masses of the sun, and the second – equal to 36 masses of the Sun, swirled around him with great speed, consuming their energy. Thanks approached each other faster and faster, and eventually merge into one big black hole equal to 62 masses of the sun. At the time of the collision, holes emitted more energy than all other universe, and missing 3 masses are radiated as gravitational waves – their signal was recorded on Earth .
It is very important that it is the last element of “puzzle” Einstein. Already 100 years ago the German physicist described the gravitational waves, whose existence was ultimately confirmed. This is a breakthrough in the study of the history of the universe – in the find the answers to mankind for hundreds of years, questions about its origin and accompanying phenomena . An important part of the discovery is its practical application. So far, much of our knowledge of the universe came from the observation of electromagnetic waves (visible light, ultraviolet, infrared, gamma rays, microwaves). In contrast, gravitational waves are completely different, taking place in parallel phenomenon. Thanks to them, we will be able to observe signs of gravitational waves of the Big Bang, “look” inside the supernova or a neutron star, where the material is compressed more than the nucleus of an atom. Gravitational waves constantly roam the universe, and we are finally able to recognize them.
We’ve been waiting for this since 1916, when Albert Einstein announced the theory of relativity. Its essence was the claim that the force of gravity due to the curvature of space-time caused by distorted her weight. The calculations showed that for the same space-time phenomena may cause some ripples moving at the speed of light. It is the gravitational waves.
The event lasted a minute, less than the twinkling of an eye – exactly 0.12 seconds . A gravitational wave (also called wrinkles space) travels through space at the speed of light. Even after traveling billion light years it is so strong that it was able to stand out from the background noise. Understanding such a unique track, which for the first time ever recorded on Earth is a breakthrough.
To give credence to the existence of gravitational waves, in 1996 began construction of the Laser interferometer gravitational wave observatory (LIGO) – spaced about 3,000 km (in the states of Washington and Louisiana) detectors wrinkles space. Their tunnels are L-shaped, and each arm having the length of 4 km. Inside them runs laser light with great precision (thousandths the diameter of a proton) check whether the length of one arm system varies in relation to the length of the second arm. In 2002, he started the first study, and 14 September 2015 year and almost at the same time, the two observatories recorded the signal of gravitational waves . He came from a colliding over a billion years ago, the two black holes.
Passing through the Earth gravitational wave – which is hard to detect, because only for a split second deforms the entire space-time around us – can be detected just by the results of measurements in the interferometer. In the interior of each tube there is another CME – stainless steel. This forms the boundary between the environment and the vacuum. Because located at the confluence of pipes laboratory at the same time are sent to laser beams. At the end system includes a mirror which reflects the beam 100 times, and these fall to the central laboratory, and are compared with each other thoroughly.
Scientists can calculate with great accuracy if the two beams have traveled the same road. They should be identical, except that during the measurement carried out by the Earth gravitational wave passes . Then one of the arms LIGO is slightly longer. If? The difference is not more than one-thousandth the diameter of a proton! In the book “Wrinkles on the cosmic sea,” David Blair compares the search for gravitational waves to the listen for vibrations caused by a knock on the door from a distance of 10 thousand. km . Detectors capable of detecting gravitational waves should register the effect comparable to the fall of the pins on the other side of the planet.
- Gravitational wave causes some abnormal curvature of space-time. This causes the road in the two arms are slightly different. Because when space-time changes, light can travel one arm a little longer, and the second – a little less – told PAP-those Andrzej Królak from the Institute of Mathematical Sciences in Warsaw and the National Center for Nuclear Research. Prof. Królak is the leader of a group of Polish scientists involved in the project.
What does it mean that a gravitational wave distorts space-time? To understand the process that takes place with the participation of gravitational waves, you should look for similar action in our environment. Tomasz Rozek, a doctor of physics and journalist, author of the Science fanpage. I like it !, in his material published in the magazine Focus, in a very accessible way explains what’s really going on. Now, if water is poured on the surface of the oil, the emergence of several round spots. After throwing a stone, created waves will gently stretch those spots, which at any time they change their shape, but then everything will return to its original state. In the same way with a large mass, which move with great speed and space, created gravitational waves (here – similar waves of water).
- Wave on the water distorted objects that were on the two-dimensional surface. Likewise, it may distort objects – from stars to humans and atoms – a gravitational wave in the space of four. When it passes, it slightly extends or shortens, but then everything goes back to normal. Such waves arise when somewhere in the universe rapidly moving object with high mass. The larger the mass, and the faster the movement, the space more wrinkles – as well as greater wave of water will arise when we throw a stone into it more – explains Horn.
Empty. SLK-WP; Auth .: WP / PAP / Focus / crazynauka / tvnmeteo
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