Gravitational wave detection. Animation showing how interferometers are used to detect gravitational waves. A beam of laser light is split by being passed through a half-silvered mirror. The two resulting beams of light are bounced many times along the arms of the interferometer. Gravitational waves will cause tiny differences in the travel time, a difference that is detected when the beams meet (shown at end of clip). This is how gravitational waves were detected by the LIGO experiment. The LIGO sites are L-shaped ultra-high vacuum systems, four kilometres long on each side. On 11 February 2016 it was announced that gravitational waves had been detected by LIGO. The signal was detected on 14 September 2015, and was the result of two black holes colliding 1.3 billion years ago. | |
Lizenzart: | Lizenzpflichtig |
Credit: | Science Photo Library / NASA / NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION |
Modell-Rechte: | nicht erforderlich |
Länge: | 26 Sekunden |
Seitenverhältnis: | 16:9 |
Restrictions: | - |