Einstein’s Gravitational Waves: A Venezuelan in the Team
Patricia Vergara
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A few weeks ago, the world of Astrophysics had a major discovery. A group of scientist proved a theory regarding Einstein’s Gravitational Waves in space. The breaking news took over the globe, but in general terms.
I’ve had the chance to chat with Mariela Masso, a Venezuelan Astrophysicist living in Glasgow, part of the team of scientist that made such discovery.
Mariela, from scratch, tell us about the Gravitational Waves Project.
One of Einstein’s predictions from General Relativity was that of gravitational waves, which he published in 1916 He stated that these waves would be impossible to directly measure since the distortions in space would be tiny. This prediction arose because Einstein described gravity as a geometry, rather than a force. The Earth therefore orbits around the Sun due to the curvature the Sun makes in the fabric of space, similar to how a mass would distort a rubber sheet. Gravitational waves are fluctuations in the fabric of space-time, like ripples in a pond, caused by moving (accelerating) masses.
In 1969 a physicist by the name of Joseph Weber claimed to have detected gravitational waves using a resonant bar – a large lump of aluminium that can ring like a bell if a suitable gravitational wave passed through. This encouraged the wider scientific community, such as the group here in the University of Glasgow, to build similar detectors to try and replicate such claim. Sadly, Joseph Weber didn’t manage to detect gravitational waves but did manage to spark huge interest in the scientific community.
I am doing my PhD with the Institute for Gravitational Research (IGR) in the University of Glasgow, a group that belongs to a scientific collaboration called the LSC (LIGO (Laser Interferometry Gravitational wave Observatory) Scientific Collaboration), including groups in the United States of America, Germany, and the UK. Two detectors were built in the US, in Louisiana (LLO) and Washington State (LHO), with significant upgrades having taken place between 2011-2014.
It has been 100 years since Einstein’s theory was published and about 47 years since various experiments started and 14 years since the LIGO experiment first went live. But this is just the beginning; this incredible detection opens a new era for gravitational wave astrophysics, which will likely revolutionise our understanding of the Universe.
For those interested in learning more about the project please feel free to read the paper on the discovery:
https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102
About the discovery: The result, how did the team arrive to it?
On the 14th September of 2015, both LHO and LLO detected a gravitational wave signal originated from two black holes colliding, this event was named GW150914. This signal described two dense objects spiralling into one another and merging to form one dense object.
From looking at the signal we know that it came from two stellar mass black holes, this event was likely located in the southern hemisphere of the Earth and took place 1.3 billion years ago.
The signal received agrees beautifully with the calculated predictions for a signal originated from black holes colliding. Below is the signal detected on September 14th, 2015, the figure was taken from the detection paper which can be accessed on: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102
On its transcendence. Why does it leave an important footprint in history?
This discovery has several major impacts to the world of science. The first one being the final confirmation of Einstein’s 100-year-old formulated theory of general relativity. The second part of this amazing discovery is the first ever direct detection of black holes, before this moment we could only know of their existence due to the effect they have on their surroundings. And lastly it is the first detection and proof that binary black holes systems exist, and that the black holes in such binaries can merge.
All of which make this event an astonishing moment in science and I am very proud and blessed to be able to be part of such a marvellous discovery and member of an amazing research group and a member of this extraordinary collaboration.
So, more to the point, in Astrophysics: Do you confirm other theories that hadn’t been proven? It changes firmly the views of things?
As I mentioned before, this discovery confirms the existence of gravitational waves, along with the existence of binary black holes systems and is the first ever direct detection of black holes. This has a massive impact in both physics and astronomy, opening a new field of gravitational wave astronomy and shows a new way to look out into our Universe.
The technologies developed to build the gravitational wave detectors have other applications related to other fields. One example is a technique called “Nano-kicking”, which has originated from a collaboration between the University of Glasgow and the University of the West of Scotland. Nano kicking can be used to promote bone growth from patients’ own stem cells, which could have a great impact for treating people with bone conditions or injuries.
Now, let’s get to know you.
My name is Mariela Masso Reid, I am from Venezuela and have been living in the UK for the last 7 years. I fell in love with Astronomy and Physics at the age of 7 which is why I came to the UK to do an undergraduate degree in Physics and Astronomy. I am currently doing my PhD with The Institute of Gravitational Research in the University of Glasgow and I absolutely love it! And I hope I can carry on working on this amazing project for as long as possible, like I said this is just the beginning.
Gravitational waves produced by 2 orbiting black holes. Image: Henze, NASA. - See more at: https://www.ligo.org/science/faq.php#spinoffs
What did you bring to the project?
My work is focussed on technology for upgrading the current detectors. The detectors operate as laser interferometers, where lasers are sent along two 4km perpendicular “arms” and are reflected by mirrors in order to measure their relative positions. These mirrors are currently suspended from thin silica-glass fibres, to isolate them from the earth and help create the “quietest place on earth” to enable the detection of gravitational waves. In order to make these mirrors even quieter, we are considering reducing the temperature, in order to significantly reduce the vibrations associated with the thermal energy. My PhD work is looking at how the heat can be extracted away from the mirrors through the suspension fibres. In order to do this, I study a range of materials and bonding techniques, which are being considered for assembling future gravitational wave detectors mirrors. I carry out measurements from room temperature down to around 300 degrees below room temperature (close to the absolute zero of temperature), in order to find the optimal materials and conditions to help enable the next generation of gravitational wave observatories.
EXTERNAL REFERENCES & MEDIA COVERAGE
PROJECT LINKS:
Detection Paper: https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102
Other links:
https://losc.ligo.org/events/GW150914/
https://www.ligo.org/science/outreach.php
https://www.ligo.org/public.php
MEDIA:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-35523676