Abstract
This article deals with the first detection of gravitational waves by the advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors on 14 September 2015, where the signal was generated by two stellar mass black holes with masses 36 M ⊙ and 29 M ⊙ that merged to form a 62 M ⊙ black hole, releasing 3 M ⊙ energy in gravitational waves, almost 1.3 billion years ago. We begin by providing a brief overview of gravitational waves, their sources and the gravitational wave detectors. We then describe in detail the first detection of gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger. We then comment on the electromagnetic follow up of the detection event with various telescopes. Finally, we conclude with the discussion on the tests of gravity and fundamental physics with the first gravitational wave detection event.
Highlights
An Overview to Gravitational Waves and Its SourcesGravitational waves were detected for the first time on 14 September 2015, which is the landmark discovery on its own, and opened up a completely new observational window through which to explore the universe
Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors on 14 September 2015, where the signal was generated by two stellar mass black holes with masses 36 M and 29 M that merged to form a 62 M black hole, releasing 3 M energy in gravitational waves, almost 1.3 billion years ago
The effect of the gravitational wave with plus polarization increases the proper lengths along x-axis and decreases the proper lengths along y-axis during the first half-cycle i.e., during the crest, whereas it decreases the proper lengths along the x-axis and increases the proper lengths along y-axis during the second half-cycle i.e., during the trough
Summary
Gravitational waves were detected for the first time on 14 September 2015, which is the landmark discovery on its own, and opened up a completely new observational window through which to explore the universe. It took elaborate efforts over many decades to devise an experimental setup with immense sensitivity, namely the few-km-long Michaelson interferometer, that could directly detect the gravitational waves This effect occurs along the directions oriented 45◦ with respect to one another for plus and cross polarizations denoted by h+ and h× , respectively. There are many sources of astrophysical origin that emit gravitational radiation which can potentially be detected with the current detector sensitivities These sources include black hole–black hole binary, black hole–neutron star binary and neutron star–neutron star binary systems, supernova explosions, rapidly rotating deformed neutron stars, inflation, phase transitions in early universe and dynamics of cosmic defects such as cosmic strings [5]. Gravitational waves are expected to surprise us, providing access to completely new objects and phenomena
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