GRAVITATIONAL WAVES

JOYDEEP NASKAR
1ST YEAR INTEGRATED MSC (ROLL: 1611057)
NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF SCIENCE EDUCATION AND
RESEARCH, BHUBANESWAR, INDIA
Abstract
The existence of gravitational waves is a direct prediction of Einsteins theory of general
relativity, published in 1916. The observation of gravitational wave in September 2015 at The
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) has opened a new astronomical
window on the universe, allowing the study of dynamic strong-field gravity, as well as many
other astrophysical objects and processes impossible to observe with electromagnetic radiation.
The review describes the origin, present status and future prospectus of the gravitational wave
astronomy.

Introduction
Gravitational wave is a central and exotic prediction of general theory of relativity proposed by
Einstein and its detection is a key achievement to the integrity of his work. The first paper about
the idea of gravitational waves was published by Laplace in 1776. After many attempts to
develop a relativistic theory of gravity by various authors, Einstein proposed general theory of
relativity. Soon after his proposal of theory, Einstein predicted that existence of gravitational
waves and estimated its strength.
Gravitational waves which travel with speed of light are quite different from electromagnetic
waves. Electromagnetic waves originate from excited atoms and molecules, whereas
gravitational waves are emitted by accelerated massive objects. Also electromagnetic waves are
easily scattered and absorbed by dust clouds between the objects and the observer, whereas
gravitational waves will pass through them almost unaffected. However the gravitational waves,
often referred as freely propagating ripples in space-time are very feeble and their detection
was not possible till September 2015, when scientists at The Laser Interferometer GravitationalWave Observatory (LIGO) observed gravitational waves, and publicly declared later on 11
February 2016, jointly with Virgo. The signals were detected within just two days of when the
Advanced LIGO detectors started collecting data after their upgrade1. Usually, it happens such
that science motivates the pursuit of new technology and its development. In this case, modern
highly equipped technology was employed in discovering new science.

Classification of Gravitational Waves2

Similar to frequency classification of electromagnetic waves, we can have the following

frequency classification of gravitational waves:
a) Ultra high frequency band (above 1 THz); detection methods include Terahertz resonators,
optical resonators and ingenious methods to be invented.
b) Very high frequency band (100 KHz - 1 THz); Micro wave resonators/waves guide detectors,
optical interferometers and Gaussian beam detectors are sensitive to this band. High frequency
band (10 Hz - 100 KHz); low temperature resonators and laser interferometer ground detectors
are the most sensitive to this band.
c) Middle frequency band (0.1 Hz - 10 Hz); space interferometry detectors of short arm length
(1000 - 100000km) are most sensitive to this band.
d) Low frequency band (100 nHz - 0.1 Hz); laser interferometer space detectors are most
sensitive to this band.
e) Very low frequency band (300 PHz - 100 nHz); pulsar timing observations are most sensitive
to this band.
f) Ultra low frequency band (10 fHz - 300 PHz); astrometry of quasar proper motion is most
sensitive to this band.
g) Extremely low (Hubble) frequency (1 aHz - 10 fHz); cosmic micro wave background
experiments are most sensitive to this band.
h) Infra Hubble frequency band (below 1 aHz); inflationary cosmological models give strengths
of gravitational waves in this band. They may be verified indirectly through the verification of
inflationary cosmological model.

Sources3
Some of the potential sources of detectable gravitational waves include binary star
systems composed of white dwarfs, neutron stars, and black holes.
The scientific community has divided such sources into four basic categories:
Binaries. These obviously have a large and varying quadrupole moment, and have the
additional advantage that we actually know that gravitational radiation is emitted from them at
the expected level (based on observations of double neutron star binaries).
Continuous sources. A spinning source can in principle emit gravitational waves at a single
frequency for a long time, so the signal builds up in a narrow frequency bin. As a result,
particularly for high frequencies observable with ground-based detectors, continuous-wave
sources are interesting because they can in principle be seen even at relatively low amplitudes.
Bursts. These refer to events of very limited duration that do not have to have any special
periodicity. An example would be a core-collapse supernova.

 Stochastic sources. For these, we think in terms of broad bands of frequency with many
sources, rather than the signal produced by an individual source. Examples include the huge
foreground of double white dwarf binaries in our Galaxy, or possibly a background from the very
early universe.
In this survey paper, the methodology for gathering observations, source modelling and further
data analysis are skipped on purpose, to not to make it too complicated.

Significance of Gravitational Waves

In the next decade, new astrophysical instruments will deliver the first large-scale maps of
gravitational waves and radio sources. Therefore, it is timely to investigate the possibility to
combine them to provide new and complementary ways to study the Universe. Using simulated
catalogues appropriate to the planned surveys, it is possible to predict measurements of the crosscorrelation between radio sources and GW maps and the effects of a stochastic gravitational
wave background on galaxy maps. Nevertheless, any information from the combination of
galaxy surveys with GW maps will help provide additional information for the newly born
gravitational wave astronomy.4
Among the wealth of new insights in both physics and astrophysics that the study of gravitational
waves will bring are5:
Direct confirmation of the existence of black holes.
Tests of general relativity under extreme strong-field conditions.
Measurement of the propagation speed of the graviton.
Detailed information on the properties of neutron stars, including the equation of state.
Insights into the earliest stages of the evolution of the universe through the measurement of
primordial gravitational waves.
Studies of galactic merging through the observation of coalescing massive black holes at their
centers.

Acknowledgements
I thank Dr. Joe Varghese Yeldho for giving me this wonderful opportunity in the form of
assignment, to dig some information on my topic of interest and present this survey paper, which
will undoubtedly prove to be useful for my future publications.

References

1.

Abbott, B. (2016) Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black

Hole Merger. PRL 116, 061102
2. Iqbal, N. and Monga, S. (2014) Gravitational Waves: Present Status and Future
Prospectus. Natural Science, 6, 305-322.
3. Schutz, B. (1996), Gravitational-wave sources. Class. Quantum Grav. 13
(1996) A219A238
4. Raccanelli, A. (2016) Gravitational wave astronomy with radio galaxy surveys.
[ arXiv:1609.09377v1 ]
5. Camp, J. and Cornish, N. (2004) Gravittional Wave Astronomy. Annu. Rev.
Nucl. Part. Sci. 2004. 54:52577