LIGOdetektoreilla

LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, is a massive scientific collaboration that operates a network of extremely sensitive gravitational-wave detectors. These detectors are designed to sense tiny ripples in spacetime, known as gravitational waves, which are predicted by Albert Einstein's theory of general relativity. The primary LIGO observatories are located in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. Each observatory houses two incredibly long vacuum tubes, arranged in an L-shape, each stretching for four kilometers. Laser beams are sent down these tubes, reflecting off mirrors and recombining. When a gravitational wave passes through, it slightly distorts the lengths of the tubes, causing a minuscule change in the interference pattern of the recombined laser light. This change, though incredibly small, is detectable by sophisticated instruments. LIGO's primary goal is to directly observe these gravitational waves, opening a new window into the universe. By detecting waves from cataclysmic cosmic events such as the merger of black holes and neutron stars, scientists can learn more about the most extreme astrophysical phenomena, test fundamental physics, and explore the evolution of the cosmos. The first direct detection of gravitational waves by LIGO in 2015, originating from the collision of two black holes, was a groundbreaking scientific achievement, earning its discoverers the Nobel Prize in Physics.