Gravitational Wave Detectors Turn to Quantum Mechanics
NASA has awarded a grant to researchers at Brookhaven National Laboratory to explore using quantum mechanics to improve gravitational wave detection. This project aims to bridge the sensitivity gap between current ground-based detectors and space-based interferometers.
Why it matters
Advancing gravitational wave detection could provide deeper insights into the origins of the universe and the behavior of black holes.
0 The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) was instrumental in the first gravitational wave detections. New proposals seek to use quantum mechanics to expand the search. Credit: T. Matsopoulos/NOIRLab/LIGO Gravitational wave astronomy has seen plenty of improvements since the original signal was captured in 2015. Despite that, it remains an engineering challenge to actually create the detectors needed for the precise measurements required to spot gravitational waves. A new NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) grant is funding a concept from a team led by Paul Stankus at Brookhaven National Laboratory that could potentially solve some of those engineering problems—by using quantum mechanics.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in