Physics Gravitational waves!

[Werewolf]

This year's Nobel Prize in Physics was awarded to three leading astrophysicists for the recent detection of gravitational waves.

Gravitational waves are distortions in space-time caused by accelerating masses (like how accelerating charges produce electromagnetic waves). These waves travel at the speed of light and stretch space itself, varying the distance between objects.

Since gravity is extremely weak compared to electromagnetism and the wave amplitude decreases with the inverse square of the distance, detecting this distortion from many light years away is extremely difficult. The masses involved have to be enormous, i.e. black holes merging or neutron stars colliding.

The advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is capable of detecting a change in distance of ~1/10,000th of the size of a proton (10^-19 metres) along two perpendicular 4km arms!

Now LIGO have managed to detect two neutron stars that collided a long time ago in a galaxy far, far away...

 

[Werewolf]

Several academics and students from my research group have been involved in this project (my work's different, can't take credit!).

Here's a statement from Adelaide University last month: http://blogs.adelaide.edu.au/research/2017/09/02/gravity-speaks/

And a couple of ABC news articles posted yesterday about the latest discovery:

Colliding neutron stars revealed by gravitational waves and massive fireball

Gravitational waves and neutron stars: Why this discovery is huge

 

[Thrawn]

Now they need to work on a gravitational surfboard.

 

[Werewolf]

TL;DR: a black hole apparently swallowed a neutron star about 900 million light years away...

Gravitational waves indicate either a black hole swallowed a star, or something even weirder

Tiny ripples detected in the cosmos last week were likely to have been created in the final moments before a black hole gobbled up a small dense star 900 million light years away, scientists say.

www.abc.net.au

 

[Snake_Baker]

I wonder what that "chirp" might be like if V616 mon wandered over and gobbled up Calvera?

 

[Rusty Brookes]

I've tried to understand cosmology and the physics behind it via reading Brief History of Time and A Universe from Nothing. I reckon I got some basic concepts sorted but it blows my mind, that people can figure out how that maths behind how this stuff works. Colour me impressed.

 

[Werewolf]

I'm pleased to see my former PhD supervisor Peter Veitch share the PM's Prize for Science (and plenty of cash!)...

Team working on 'most magical story in science' win PM's top science prize

For the first time, Australia's top science prize has been awarded to four scientists, including a female physicist, for their pioneering work in the discovery of gravitational waves that opened up a new window to the universe.

www.abc.net.au

 

[HalloweenJack]

I'm pleased to see my former PhD supervisor Peter Veitch share the PM's Prize for Science (and plenty of cash!)...

Team working on 'most magical story in science' win PM's top science prize

For the first time, Australia's top science prize has been awarded to four scientists, including a female physicist, for their pioneering work in the discovery of gravitational waves that opened up a new window to the universe.

www.abc.net.au

I haven't heard of this discovery before and it is great for Peter who I knew from UWA many years ago.

 

[Werewolf]

Black holes gobbling up neutron stars confirmed as a source of gravitational waves for the first time

Synopsis: Around one billion years ago, two of the most extreme objects in the universe smashed into each other. The explosive death spiral of a neutron star into a black hole produced gravitational waves — ripples that are created in the moments before two objects with large masses collide.

• Scientists have detected two neutron star-black hole collisions by analysing gravitational waves
• The confirmed observations, which happened 10 days apart, is the last piece of the puzzle in major gravitational wave discoveries
• Studying these events can answer big questions about the evolution of the universe

 

[CD Xbow]

Black holes gobbling up neutron stars confirmed as a source of gravitational waves for the first time

Synopsis: Around one billion years ago, two of the most extreme objects in the universe smashed into each other. The explosive death spiral of a neutron star into a black hole produced gravitational waves — ripples that are created in the moments before two objects with large masses collide.

• Scientists have detected two neutron star-black hole collisions by analysing gravitational waves
• The confirmed observations, which happened 10 days apart, is the last piece of the puzzle in major gravitational wave discoveries
• Studying these events can answer big questions about the evolution of the universe

Amazing stuff.
While it's already fab for astronomy, I hope it enables a greater understanding of gravity.
Next time one of those waves comes along I'll be wading out with my Graviton Net*

*patent pending