Why can't LIGO detect mergers of supermassive black holes?
- Episode aired Oct 28, 2021
- 9m
The LIGO uses interferometry to detect gravitation waves that stretch space and hence the arms of the detector by different amounts. The 4 km length of the detector arms give the observatory... Read allThe LIGO uses interferometry to detect gravitation waves that stretch space and hence the arms of the detector by different amounts. The 4 km length of the detector arms give the observatory that ability to detect fairly short gravitational waves whereas collisions of super massi... Read allThe LIGO uses interferometry to detect gravitation waves that stretch space and hence the arms of the detector by different amounts. The 4 km length of the detector arms give the observatory that ability to detect fairly short gravitational waves whereas collisions of super massive black holes generate much longer waves.