Abstract: Einstein’s general theory of relativity teaches us that gravity radiates, producing waves which exert a tidal stretch and squeeze as they propagate across the universe. Because gravity is the weakest fundamental force, Einstein believed that this radiation would never be measured. Starting in 2015, an international collaboration has not only directly measured gravitational waves produced by exotic astronomical objects, but has used these waves to develop a new form of astronomy. In this lecture, I will describe the quest for gravitational waves, showing how this idea emerged as, over centuries, we have improved our understanding of gravity’s nature. I will emphasize that it is best to think of these waves as “sound-like,” and will play examples of the songs that astronomical objects sing. I will discuss some of the surprising things we have learned from measuring these waves so far, plus what we expect from future instruments, including the LIGO-India detector.
About the Speaker:Professor Scott Hughes earned his PhD in physics in 1998 from the California Institute of Technology, supervised by Kip Thorne, one of the founders of the LIGO project. After a few years of postdoctoral research in Illinois and California, he joined the faculty of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 2003, where he remains today. His research focuses on astrophysical applications of general relativity, with a strong emphasis on the physics of compact binaries, black holes, and gravitational waves. He also immensely enjoys teaching and is currently the associate department head of the MIT Physics Department, where he has oversight over the department’s educational program.
Supported by: Arista Networks India Pvt. Ltd