Next-generation gravitational wave observatories could detect black hole mergers with masses between 100 and 600 solar masses. These observatories aim to detect the signatures of merging binary black holes over a wider mass range and deeper redshifts.
How gravitational wave observatories work
- Gravitational waves Ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the acceleration of massive objects.
- Detectors Capture gravitational waves emitted by black holes orbiting so quickly that they approach the speed of light before colliding.
Next-generation gravitational wave observatories could detect black hole mergers with masses between 100 and 600 solar masses. These observatories aim to detect the signatures of merging binary black holes over a wider mass range and deeper redshifts.
How gravitational wave observatories work
- Gravitational waves Ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the acceleration of massive objects.
- Detectors Capture gravitational waves emitted by black holes orbiting so quickly that they approach the speed of light before colliding.
Other gravitational wave observatories
- Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO): Made the first direct detection of gravitational waves in 2015.
- Advanced LIGO: Observed gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger in 2015
When two black holes orbit each other, they emit gravitational waves. These waves are ripples in spacetime that carry away energy and angular momentum.
When two black holes collide, they violently roil spacetime around them. This process is called “black hole ringdown”. The distorted black hole that is created must quickly settle into a state of equilibrium. To reach this steady state, the object releases colossal amounts of energy in the form of gravitational waves.
Black hole mergers are incredibly violent events. If all of the energy released by the merger came in the form of visible light, it would have briefly outshone the full moon.
Yes, the merger of two black holes can create gravitational waves. The gravitational waves are released as the distorted black hole settles into a state of equilibrium.
The gravitational waves can be “heard” on Earth. Since September 2015, LIGO and Virgo have detected 11 confirmed black hole mergers.
Black hole mergers are violent events that can do serious damage to the inner parts of a galaxy. However, they would do no harm to Earth
In 2023, scientists made several gravitational wave detections:
- LIGO In May, LIGO detected gravitational waves that were likely produced by a neutron star merging into a black hole.
- Four pulsar timing array collaborations In June, they presented evidence for a gravitational wave background that spanned light years. The background was most likely caused by many binaries of supermassive black holes.
- NANOGrav In June, NANOGrav detected low-frequency gravitational waves. This was a historic breakthrough that represented 15 years of searching.
Other gravitational wave detections in 2023 include:
- Scientists found evidence of a new class of gravitational waves that could reveal supermassive black holes.
- Astronomers detected a “cosmic bass note” of gravitational waves by monitoring more than 100 pulsars.
Universe discoveries 