PM lauds role of Indian scientists
AMN /
Just over 100 years after he published his general theory of relativity, scientists have found what Albert Einstein predicted as part of the theory: gravitational waves. “We have detected gravitational waves. We did it,” said David Reitze, executive director of LIGO, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, which was created to do just what Reitze announced.
International scientists including from India, claim to have glimpsed the first direct evidence of gravitational waves, or ripples in space-time. Two US-based underground detectors known as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory, LIGO, observed the phenomenon. Researchers said Thursday that when two black holes collided some 1.3 billion years ago, the joining of those two great masses sent forth a wobble that hurtled through space and arrived at Earth on September 14, 2015 when it was picked up by the LIGO.
Albert Einstein predicted the existence of these waves in 1916 as a consequence of his General Theory of Relativity.
David Reitze, Eexecutive Director of LIGO project said this is the first time the universe has spoken to us – through gravitational waves.
Scientists say the new data will allow measurements of faraway stars, galaxies and black holes based on the waves they make.
Indian scientists played a crucial role, including in data analysis, in the path-breaking project. Several institutes, including Institute of Plasma Research, Gandhinagar, Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Pune, and Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, were involved in the research.The announcement of detection of gravitational waves was made simultaneously at IUCAA, Pune, and by scientists in Washington in the United States.
Abhay Ashtekar, the Director of the Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry at Pennsylvania State University said it is a matter of pride for us that more than 60 percent of scientists involved in LIGO project were of Indian origin.
Senior scientist at IUCAA, C V Vishveshvara said on this occasion that we have predicted this 10 years back but we were not having equipment’s to prove it at that time.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi in a series of tweets said that immensely proud that Indian scientists played an important role in this challenging quest. He said the historic detection of gravitational waves opens up new frontier for understanding of universe. Mr Modi expressed optimism that it will make even bigger contribution with an advanced gravitational wave detector in the country.
On 14th September, 2015 a team of scientists at LIGO in Louisiana picked up a signal from the far reaches of space. Seven milliseconds later same signals were detected at LIGO in Hanford, Washington.
After months of checking and analysing the data, in which Indian scientists were also involved it was announced yesterday that the two signals came from gravitational waves, generated 1.3 billion years ago. Indian scientists played a crucial role, including in data analysis, in the path-breaking project. Several institutes, including IPR Gandhinagar, IUCAA, Pune, and Raja Ramanna Centre for Advanced Technology, Indore, were involved in the research.
The announcement of detection of gravitational waves was made simultaneously at IUCAA, Pune, and by scientists in Washington DC, USA. Abhay Ashtekar, the director of the Institute for Gravitational Physics and Geometry at Pennsylvania State University said It’s a matter of Pride for us that more than 60 % of scientist involved in LIGO project were of Indian origin. Senior scientist C V Vishveshvara said on this occasion that Indian scientists predicted this 10 years back but did not have equipments to prove it at that time. Scientists say the new data will allow measurements of faraway stars, galaxies and black holes based on the waves they make