Gravitational waves Definition and 332 Threads

Gravitational "waves" - second question Assuming our concept of the universe expanding (perhaps) and that the fabric of space time is expanding at the same rate as our galaxy and solar system (velocity equal, so relatively motionless), would we still be able to detect gravitational waves when a...

Gravitational waves travel at the speed of light. So do they also bend around massive objects? If we had an extremely sensitive differential accelerometer, would we "feel" a distant star to be where we saw it? This would seem logical if you consider the curved path of light to really be a...

Gravitational "waves" First, I confess that I am not a physicist by training; I work for an RF engineering firm. However, I study theoretical and astrophysics from those who have the extensive math background, and attempt to conceptualize their theories. I am not a conspiratist, and I certainly...

As I am fairly new here (been a lurker for a long while), I was not quite sure where to post this topic as it has Relativistic and Quantum Mechanical basis. Apologies if this is the incorrect place. It's not a homework question in any sense, but I'm doing a project for my Advanced Science...

Ok so there are gravitational waves traveling through as constantly, and these waves carry energy. Since they travel through space unabsorbed, does this mean they are undetectable (by direct observation) and that the energy they contain cannot be restored? Lastly then does this mean...

What's the relationship between gravitational waves and (traditional/stationary) gravitational potential? Does the (traditional/stationary) potential become a "wave" under acceleration? Or do both exist under acceleration? Do both use energy from the source? I think I saw somewhere that GR...

I'm about to head off to graduate school and (like many other physics students) I love theory, and especially GR, which is what my undergraduate research has been in. But, I'm also aware of the limitations on eventually finding a job. I'd eventually like to work. So, I've been tossing around...

I'm reading this paper "Exact Gravitational Quasinormal Frequencies of Topological Black Holes" ...By D. Birmingham and S. Mokhtari : http://arxiv.org/abs/hep-th/0609028v2" and now i confusing what are meaning of gravitational quasinormal modes of Topological Black holes?. Can...

arXiv:0804.1747 [pdf, other] Title: The Einstein@Home search for periodic gravitational waves in LIGO S4 data Authors: LIGO Scientific Collaboration: B. Abbott, et al Comments: 29 pages, 19 figures Subjects: General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology (gr-qc) A search for periodic...

How do you get gravitational waves or gravitons out of the EFE? It certainly doesn't look like a wave equation. Are there some second derivatives hidden in the Einstein tensor?

On February 1, 2007, the Konus-Wind, Integral, Messenger, and Swift gamma-ray satellites measured a short but intense outburst of energetic gamma rays originating in the direction of M31, the Andromeda galaxy, located 2.5 million light-years away. The majority of such short (less than two...

Could you help explain this? I know this is what gravity is, correct? what does it mean when they say; when a object emits gravitational waves mass should decrees. and how exactly does the binary pulsar system PSR 1913+16 help explain this?

This might seem simple... I'm having a bit of trouble both finding and interpretting information on how a gravitational wave is produced. I know they are analogous to EM waves, and that they are produced by accelerating masses, but it's more complicated than that, isn't it? Can anyone...

How do gravitational waves originate? Does the mass of the body, from where they are originating,decrease?

Why would gravitational waves be generated from the merging of two black holes or other types of mergers? What is different about the physical characteristics of the merged entity compared to the sum total of the pre-merged entities?

Does gravitational waves participate in gravitation interaction?? Does gravitational waves participate in gravitation interaction?? When gravitational waves pass through the sun ,it will deflect?? Thank you in advance!

Homework Statement I am given the form of the perturbation in the metric: h_{\mu\nu}=\left(\begin{array} {cccc} 0&0&0&0 \\ 0&1&0&0\\ 0&0&-1&0 \\ 0&0&0&0\end{array}\right) \gamma e^{-(z-t)^2} Where gamma<<1. That is to say, g_{\mu\nu}(\mathbf{r},t)=\eta_{\mu\nu}+h_{\mu\nu}(\mathbf{r},t) (we...

If I swing my arm, it can emit gravitational waves?? If I swing my arm, it can emit gravitational waves?? Thank you in advance!

Ok , during my study , I read that the bodies which are rotating spherically symmetrically do not emit GW;s as in don't dent the spacetime memberane...same is with the bodies moving with uniform velocity ...why is that??...has it something to do with conservation of angular momentum??:blushing:

The emission of gravational waves changes orbital energy right? If orbital energy O is a function of radius, what would O_{final}-O_{initial} be, using variables such as G, M, and r?

Gravitational waves are usually associated with powerfull events (stars, black holes, etc.) but I just wonder if they are not also generated at more modest accelerations and masses. For instance when we accelerate a cup of coffee, or at the wing-flapping of a fly, a falling raindrop, etc. I...

I was wondering what's the link between gravitational waves and negative energy, i heard that 'in the presence of large gravitational fields, negative energy fields are rather common' from one of michio kaku's book. what's the link between gravitational fields and gravitational waves/ gravity...

I'm trying to get my mind around this one. (stretching thin in the extreme) Black Holes Collide, and Gravity Quivers New York Times 05/02/2006 In the most precise effort yet to detect gravitational waves -- the quiverings of space-time predicted by Einstein's theory of general...

Could someone please explain how gravitational waves are modeled within the theory? Is it some sort of time dependant metric, or is it simply an indirect consequence of the theory, etc.? Also, I am self-taught GR, and I learned almost everything I know about the theory straight out of...

A great recent article details the problems of GW's? http://www.physicstoday.org/vol-58/iss-9/p43.html#ref So do Gravitational Waves exist? This was meant to be placed in General forum!

What do members think of http://arxiv.org/PS_cache/physics/pdf/0506/0506024.pdf paper? It reads as 'crackpot' to me, claiming as it does that gravitational waves cannot exist, however, it cites as supporting evidence the fact that GWs have not been detected yet. Is this a valid point? As...

Was the moment of 'first-light' or 'Lights-on' which occurred in the early Universe when Matter started to Shine 'light from the first galaxies', equivilent to the first Gravitational Wave signature from the Big-Bang? If one was do insinuate that the first primordial outward 'inflation' wave...

If the advanced LIGO will not detect gravitational waves then is the theory dead?

LIGO may have failed to detect gravity waves because they move faster than light and so have a greater wavelength than expected and probably a lower amplitude too.

LIGO may have failed to detect gravity waves because they move faster than light and so have a greater wavelength than expected and probably a lower amplitude too.

Gravitational waves generated during inflation should produce a special component in linear polarization in the CMB. Why? Could anyone give an easy qualitative explanation? Thanx.

http://archive.ncsa.uiuc.edu/Cyberia/NumRel/GravWaves.html Eddington was not the only skeptic. Many physicists thought the waves predicted by the theory were simply a mathematical artifact. Yet others continued to further develop and test the concept. By the 1960s, theorists had showed...