New detection of gravitational waves Einstein – Europe1

An international scientific team said Wednesday it has again detected gravitational waves, which is to date the second observation of this phenomenon predicted by the theory of general relativity Albert Einstein in 1915.

40 years of research. the first direct detection of gravitational waves that had been announced on 11 February a historic event after 40 years of effort that needs to better understand the mysteries of the universe. This detection was carried out as the first time by the American instrument Ligo (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory), consisting of two identical detectors four kilometers long, located 3000 km from each other, Louisiana ( south) and in the State of Washington (northwest).

spacetime. “We know that with this second sense, the properties measured by the Ligo will allow us to begin to answer some fundamental questions in gravitational astronomy, as the mystery of the formation of black holes”, welcomed Professor Sheila Rowan, head of the gravitational research Institute of the University of Glasgow, a member of the research team. These waves are the result of slight perturbations of the fabric of space-time as a result of the displacement of a massive object, like a weight deforms a net. Those seen this time were produced by the merger, there are 1.4 billion years ago, two black holes.

Black Holes. analysis data collected on December 26, it was determined that they were 14 and 8 times more massive than our Sun, a diameter less than 100 kilometers clarified these astrophysicists. They announced their detection at the conference of the American Astronomical Society meeting in San Diego, California. Their work will be published in Physical Review Letters. The two black holes of the first detection September 14, 2015 had a mass of 29 and 36 times that of the sun.

Although the signal received on December 26 was lower than the first, this second detection is also confirmed with more than 99.99% certainty. The merger of these black holes generated an amount of energy equivalent to the mass of the sun and was converted into gravitational waves, say the scientists.