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Gravitational Waves Ever Observed Originated from Two Merging Black Holes Around 1.3 Billion Light-Years from Earth

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Gravitational Waves Ever Observed Originated from Two Merging Black Holes Around 1.3 Billion Light-Years from Earth Cosmic collision: The first gravitational waves ever observed originated from two merging black holes around 1.3 billion light-years from Earth. Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics simulated the scenario on the computer. 78 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 16 Overview_Gravitational Waves The Quaking Cosmos Albert Einstein was right: gravitational waves really do exist. They were detected on September 14, 2015. This, on the other hand, would have surprised Einstein, as he believed they were too weak to ever be measured. The researchers were therefore all the more delighted – particularly those at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, which played a major role in the discovery. TEXT HELMUT HORNUNG n that memorable Monday The discovery represents the current in September 2015, the pinnacle of the history of gravitation – clock in Hanover stood at the general theory of relativity has now 11:51 a.m. when Marco passed its final test with flying colors. Drago at the Max Planck In addition, the measurement opens up O Institute for Gravitational Physics first a new window of observation, as al- saw the signal. For around a quarter of most 99 percent of the universe is in a second, the gravitational wave rippled the dark – that is, it doesn’t emit any through two detectors known as Ad- electromagnetic radiation. With gravi- vanced LIGO. The installations are lo- tational waves, in contrast, it will be cated thousands of kilometers away in possible for the first time to investigate the US, one in Hanford, Washington, cosmic objects such as black holes in the other in Livingston, Louisiana. detail. And in the future, the research- Drago initially thought the signal ers will even be able to “hear” almost had been slipped in deliberately to test as far back as the Big Bang. the scientists’ response, as has happened But what exactly are these waves many a time in the past. But Advanced from outer space? The roots of modern LIGO wasn’t even in regular operation gravitational research lie in Switzer- yet, so Drago informed his colleague land. There, in 1907, a “technical ex- Andy Lundgren. Both agreed: the curve pert second class” at the patent office looked perfect; the signal appeared to be in Berne was giving some intense real. The Max Planck researchers had an thought to gravity: Albert Einstein. He inkling that they had just become wit- simulated gravity using acceleration, Numerical-relativistic simulation: S. Ossokine, A. Buonanno (Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics)/scientific visualization: Benger W. (Airborne Hydro Mapping GmbH) nesses to a historic moment. since acceleration also generates forces 1 | 16 MaxPlanckResearch 79 Overview_Gravitational Waves Mirror Left Crossed paths: In the gravitational wave detector, a laser beam is split at the beam splitter. From there, the two partial beams run Laser perpendicular to one another along the arms Beam of the interferometer. At the ends of the arms, splitter Mirror the partial beams are reflected, sent back to the beam splitter and superimposed there to form the signal beam. This then strikes the photodiode. The change in brightness measured by the photodiode is a measure of the relative change in length of the light paths. Right Field research: One of Advanced LIGO’s detectors, which stretches out its four-kilo- Measurement meter arms in Livingston, Louisiana. Its heart signal is the building in the center that houses the laser system. The second, practically identical LIGO detector is located in Hanford, Washing- Photodiode ton, some 3,000 kilometers away. as occur, for instance, in a rapidly accel- Sun, radiating gravitational waves with The researchers thus designed receivers erating elevator. If the elevator car were a power of 200 watts. But even these that were even more sensitive, known soundproof and lightproof, the passen- gravitational waves are still too weak to as laser interferometers. Here, a laser gers might think that terrestrial gravity be tracked down with a detector. beam impinges on a beam splitter, had suddenly increased. Fortunately, there are also much where it is split into two beams; one stronger tremors of space-time in the continues on in a straight line while EARTH BENDS SPACE AS IT universe: when two neutron stars or the other is deflected to the side. At the ORBITS THE SUN black holes orbit each other extremely end of each path is a mirror that reflects quickly, or even collide with each oth- the light back to the beam splitter. This The realization that gravitation is at er. Or when a massive star explodes as mirror now deflects the beams in such least partially a question of one’s sys- a supernova. Such cosmic events gen- a way that they are superimposed on tem of reference led Albert Einstein to erate gravitational waves with an ener- each other – that is, they interfere – and the revolutionary ideas he presented in gy of around 1045 watts. strike a photodiode. his general theory of relativity in the Gravitational waves change the fall of 1915, after eight years of work. It separation between the objects in space WAVE CREST MEETS WAVE was ultimately a field theory. It states perpendicularly to the direction of TROUGH that the accelerated motion of masses propagation. This is extremely difficult leads to perturbations that move to measure, which is why Albert Ein- In the case of unperturbed measure- through space at the speed of light – stein thought it would be impossible to ment paths, the light waves arriving at gravitational waves. detect them. And yet scientists have the photodiode oscillate not in phase, If you jump up and down on a tram- come up with instruments that have but out of phase: wave crest meets wave poline, for example, you lose energy now succeeded in doing just that. The trough, the light waves extinguish each and generate these waves in space-time. first-generation instruments of the other. If a gravitational wave perturbs They are immeasurably small, because 1960s consisted of aluminum cylinders the system and thus changes the mea- a human being has a low mass and weighing many tons and equipped surement paths, the light waves lose jumps relatively slowly. Space, on the with sensitive sensors. Pulses of gravi- the beat. The receiver no longer re- other hand, contains very large masses tational waves should have caused mains dark – a signal appears. – and even a trampoline: space-time. Ev- them to oscillate like the clapper of a In 1975 a group working with Heinz erything is in motion here, as not a sin- bell. But despite sophisticated amplifi- Billing at the Max Planck Institute for gle celestial body remains at rest in one ers, these resonance detectors pro- Physics and Astrophysics built the pro- place. Earth bends space as it orbits the duced no results. totype of such an interferometer with a Graphic: MPI for Gravitational Physics 80 MaxPlanckResearch 1 | 16 path length of 3 meters; in 1983 they nouncement of the discovery. After all, programs to see and analyze the sig- built one with a 30-meter path length. the two structurally similar facilities in nals. And Alessandra Buonanno’s group The foundations were thus laid for all the US are full of technical know-how in Potsdam-Golm developed the mod- subsequent installations of this type. from Danzmann’s team. When they de- els they use to better understand the The scientists have developed innova- tected the tremor in space-time, the sources of the waves. tive technologies – for instance for the length of the laser paths, each four kilo- The signal detected on September suspension of the mirrors or to stabilize meters long and arranged perpendicular 14, 2015 told of the merger of two black the laser – particularly for the GEO600 to each other, had changed by only a holes with 29 and 36 solar masses, 1.3 detector, which has been stretching tiny fraction of the diameter of an atom. billion light-years away from Earth. The out its 600-meter arms in a field near In order to discover the gravitation- close interplay of experiment, simula- Hanover since the mid-1990s. al wave signals in the pile of data, the tions, analytical calculations and data “Seen in this light, Advanced LIGO researchers had to know what they analysis allows the scientists to illumi- is our detector as well,” said Karsten were looking for in the first place. The nate the dark corners of the universe. Danzmann on February 11 in Hanover, researchers in Bruce Allen’s department The ripples in space-time will shed light Photo: Caltech/LIGO Laboratory on the occasion of the official an- in Hanover are therefore working on on the astronomy of the future. 1 | 16 MaxPlanckResearch 81 Interview_Gravitational Waves “The signal caught our eye immediately” The discovery of gravitational waves on September 14, 2015 was the crowning moment of a search that had lasted decades and employed ingenious methods. The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, with its branches in Potsdam-Golm and Hanover, played a crucial role in this success. There, researchers are working not only on innovative technologies, but also on theoretical models, virtual simulations and data analysis. We discussed this work and the importance and consequences of the discovery with Directors Bruce Allen, Alessandra Buonanno and Karsten Danzmann. Mr. Allen, Ms. Buonanno, Mr. Danzmann: ing so well and would be able to receive a check the detection chain and establish As members of an international network of gravitational wave signal right at the start that the scientists are working indepen- gravitational wave detectors, the LIGO – nobody expected that. dently of each other. Virgo collaboration, you and the staff at your institute played a significant role in Bruce Allen: The signal arrived late in the Bruce Allen: In the first few weeks after the very first measurement of gravitational morning of September 14, 2015 Central Eu- the discovery, we actually did have con- waves.
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