Improved gravitational wave detection accelerates research into neutron stars and black holes
A recent collaboration led by the University of Minnesota Twin Cities School of Science and Technology and an international team has developed a new technology to improve the detection of gravitational waves. This advance allowed him to send an alert to astronomers and astrophysicists within 30 seconds of the discovery, greatly improving the study of neutron stars and black holes. The researchers’ goal is to better understand how these astronomical phenomena contribute to the formation of heavy elements such as gold and uranium. Their findings were featured in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States (PNAS). Gravitational waves, which interact with spacetime by compressing and stretching it, are detected by an L-shaped laser interferometer that measures the interference pattern produced by two light sources. The accuracy required is equivalent to measuring the distance to the nearest star, which is about four light years away, in the width of a human hair. A recent simulation campaign integrated simulated gravitational wave signals with previous observational data to test software and instrumentation improvements. The software is designed to identify waveforms, monitor signal behavior, and estimate the mass involved in events such as neutron star and black hole collisions. “This software allows us to detect gravitational waves from neutron star collisions. Normally, gravitational waves are so faint that you can’t see them unless you know exactly where to look,” said Dr. Andrew.・Mr. Toivonen said. student in the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities Department of Physics and Astronomy. “The first detection of gravitational waves will help pinpoint the location of the impact and help astronomers and astrophysicists complete further studies.” These rapid advances are part of his fourth observation with the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), scheduled until February 2025. Improvements are made during each observation period to improve signal detection and alarm speed. This collaboration involves his more than 1,200 scientists and approximately 100 institutions around the world and is coordinated by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration.
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