Scientists are close to solving the mystery of gravitational waves

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

In modern physics, gravity is one of the main mysteries. We have barely learned how to measure its manifestations in the form of gravity. But what is gravity, where does it come from, how is it transmitted - modern science is not yet able to unequivocally answer.

The fact is that gravity is one of four fundamental interactions - forms of energy transfer - and at the same time the weakest of all. But the main problem lies elsewhere.

The three best-studied interactions are known to be transported by particles. And if for other types of interactions these particles are known, and their existence is confirmed experimentally (directly or indirectly, albeit with large assumptions), then for gravity everything is much more complicated.

At the moment, it has not been possible to confirm the very fact of the presence of not only the so-called graviton (a theoretical particle responsible in some concepts of physics for the transmission of gravity and the creation of gravitational fields), but also such traces of gravity that would allow determining the nature of its transmission (or, let's say, transportation in space-time).

According to the same theory, which assumes the presence of gravitons, it turns out that gravity should be transmitted in the form of directed quantized (that is, consisting of particles or "like particles" - energy packets with a certain value) waves - gravitational radiation. It should manifest itself in the form of colossal waves emanating from any large space objects and events - black holes and galaxy clusters, at the birth of supernovae. However, they have not yet been found.

And on January 11, 2016, University of Arizona cosmologist Lawrence Krauss wrote on his Twitter: “My suspicions about the discovery of LIGO were confirmed by independent sources. Stay in touch! Gravitational waves can be detected!"

The LIGO Gravitational Wave Observatory is one of the most important sites for studying gravity and searching for gravitational waves. LIGO stations use advanced laser interferometers to detect gravitational waves. Although Krauss hinted back in September 2015 that signs of elusive gravitational waves were detected on the LIGO detector, there was no official confirmation of this. Shortly before this, the complex was modernized, and the Advanced LIGO experiment was launched there, which can lead to the detection of gravitational waves.

Meanwhile, there were no official statements from the observatories (they are expected at least in February), so experts believe that it is too early to rejoice and spread rumors about an unusually important discovery. Moreover, the previous conclusions obtained in the framework of the BICEP2 experiment turned out to be erroneous: the signal was actually caused not by gravitational waves, but by dust.

Why is it needed and why is it so important? Any theory is the beginning of practice. Without quantum physics there would be no GPS, satellite communications, modern transistors and quantum computers (and optical communication lines too). A working, complete theory describing gravity could allow a more detailed study of the Universe, its laws, the movements of objects, black holes, dark energy and dark matter. And it is quite possible to create fundamentally new types of movement in space (or even in time). Until then, neither quantum jumps, nor wormholes, nor superluminal speeds are available to us.