Physicists measure the five vibrations of space-time

Only a few weeks ago, the third observation run of the gravitational wave detectors, Ligo in the US and Virgo in Italy has begun. And the astronomers it has been a struggle, to announce new sensations: in April Alone, 2019 five alleged gravitational wave events in the cosmos have been recorded, with researchers divided on Thursday. One of these vibrations of space-time, so they suspect it was triggered by the collision of a neutron star with a Black hole that has never been observed previously. Another is to relate the second signed ever collision of two neutron stars. The other three were mergers most likely Black holes.

"A Revolution," said the gravitational waves researchers David Reitze on Sunday in a lecture, "is something that changed the way how we think about things." For him, it is therefore a matter of course that, since the first measurement of gravitational waves in the year 2015 is a Revolution in progress. And when you look at how the latest discoveries are included, you have to give him up: If this is not a Revolution, then what?

The results get to the gravitational-wave detectors, Ligo in the USA (in the picture) and Virgo in Italy. Picture: David Ryder/Bloomberg/

Each of the new observations would have added four years ago, half the world in turmoil, in that dark Era before 2015, as they had observed Black holes directly, and gravitational waves were only a theoretical construct. From today's point of view, this era seems so far away as the time of the Black-and-White television. Scientists have become accustomed to the reliability of the Ligo and Virgo sensations provide.

sensitivity increased by 40 percent

For astronomers, gravitational waves have opened it a new window into the universe. Particularly exciting are those collisions in which not only Black holes, but also neutron stars are involved. The latter are the Remains of the burnt-out star with a good one to two solar masses. These objects together also a mass of light, radio waves, x-rays, and Neutrinos bumps send into space.

thanks to the gravitational waves we now know in which direction to handlers, should look with a traditional tele after such radiation. The first time you observed the merger of neutron stars in August 2017, is already managed. For the two new neutron star events, astronomers are still looking for other signals. "Instead of a needle in the haystack we are looking for a needle on a table," said Reitze in his presentation. In other examples, in any case likely to prevail in the future, not a shortage. Since the recent Upgrade of the current monitoring round, the detector has improved sensitivity by a further 40 per cent.

(Tages-Anzeiger)

Created: 02.05.2019, 19:26 PM