Gravity Waves and Graceful Exit

In summary: The Scientific American article states that we can measure wavelengths up to 10^-18, which is about 10^-7 to 10^11 Hz.
  • #1
enorbet
481
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Recently reading the Scientific American article The Black Hole at the Beginning of Time, which at first glance made me wonder if they were bowing to pressure to increase circulation, did however get me to thinking about Inflation and Graceful Exit, a rather major problem.

I understand that Stephen Hawking and Werner Israel postulate that the limits on our ability to measure wavelengths is roughly from 10^-7 to 10^11 Hz. I'm pretty sure I can see why those are presently limitations on our ability to measure, but is there any known reason that much larger wavelengths can not exist? say, 10^-18?

Further then, is it impossible, that oscillating epochs might exist based on extremely long (to us) wave periods?
 
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  • #2
What is an "oscillating epoch"?
 
  • #3
1 oscillation per year is 3x10-8 Hz

1 oscillation per 13.8B years is 2.3x10-18Hz!


I wonder what the period is for a cyclic universe?
 
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  • #4
Drakkith said:
What is an "oscillating epoch"?

Perhaps a bad choice of words to describe cyclic events like seasons on Earth, but I had hoped to keep it separate. at least in my own mind, from cycles driven by roughly circular motion as in the Earth around the Sun and our solar system around the galactic center. However thinking about a Galactic Year for Sol System only reinforces my curiosity about cyclical events on VERY large time scales.

It seemed to me the first step is to determine any limits on wavelength. For one thing it might possibly explain or at least open avenues of inquiry on Gravity and/or Dark Energy.
 
  • #5
Tanelorn said:
1 oscillation per year is 3x10-8 Hz

1 oscillation per 13.8B years is 2.3x10-18Hz!

I wonder what the period is for a cyclic universe?

Thanks. Although those numbers are easily calculated it does help to just see some examples of the frames about which we are speaking. However I am not chasing ideas about the Bang/Rip question.

My wandering/wondering has more to do with what we can possibly measure given that the entirety of human existence from just about any point in Evolution you would choose to call even remotely human, isn't even a sizable fraction of a Galactic Year.

Some of what has fueled this line of thinking is noting that while we can't measure less than a Planck unit, apparently we can deduce beyond Planck if I understand the ESA's data showing that the Universe is not grainy to orders of magnitude beyond Planck.

The SA article states that if Big Bang is on some larger scale, a 3 Dimensional manifestation of a 4 Dimensional event, we may be able to gather some data about the Parent. Even though we can't employ light for obvious reasons, it may be possible to employ Gravity.

Obviously all of this as we get closer to The Singularity is highly speculative at this point. I'd just like to establish some reasonable boundaries on my imagination and see where that leads.
 
  • #6
While, as mentioned in my first post in this thread, Hawking and Israel have postulated the window of limitation on what we can measure at 10^-7 to 10^11, what is the window of what we have actually measured so far?
 

1. What are gravity waves?

Gravity waves, also known as gravitational waves, are ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by the acceleration of massive objects. They were predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity and were first observed in 2015 by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO).

2. How are gravity waves different from electromagnetic waves?

Gravity waves are fundamentally different from electromagnetic waves in that they are not made up of particles like photons, but rather are a distortion of space-time itself. Additionally, gravity waves can travel through a vacuum, while electromagnetic waves require a medium to propagate through.

3. What is a graceful exit in the context of gravity waves?

In the context of cosmology, a graceful exit refers to the process by which the universe transitions from a state of accelerated expansion to a decelerated expansion. This is typically achieved through the inflationary period, where the universe undergoes a rapid expansion driven by a hypothetical field known as the inflaton.

4. How do gravity waves and a graceful exit impact our understanding of the early universe?

Gravity waves and a graceful exit provide valuable insight into the early moments of the universe, specifically during the inflationary period. They help to confirm theories about the rapid expansion of the universe and provide evidence for the existence of the inflaton field.

5. What are the potential implications of studying gravity waves and a graceful exit?

The study of gravity waves and a graceful exit can have significant implications for our understanding of the universe and its origins. It can also help to further our understanding of gravity and the fundamental laws of physics. Additionally, it can lead to advancements in technology, such as improved methods of detecting and measuring gravity waves.

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