Costly Freight goes to Sea: High-power Laser for Gravitational Wave Detection from Hannover on its Way to the USA
Looking for Einsteins gravitational waves is like looking for a needle in a haystack. And imagine that the needle itself looks just like a hay straw. Cosmic gravitational waves are miniscule vibrations in space and time, and are very difficult to distinguish from vibrations occurring on the planet earth. Accordingly, scientist need efficient measurement instruments to be able to find the needle, that is, to measure the gravitational waves. Thus, detectors use the principles of laser interferometry to measure gravitational waves.
Scientists at the Max- Planck-Instituts für Gravitationsphysik (Albert-Einstein-Institut Hannover, AEI), together with the Laser Zentrum Hannover (LZH), have developed a high-power laser for use in the next generation of gravitational wave detectors. This laser is now being shipped on the MSC Loretta to the LIGO detector in the USA:
Source: Max-Planck-Institut für Gravitationsphysik
Presse- und Öffentlichkeitsarbeit
Michael Botts
Tel.: +49 511 2788-151
Fax: +49 511 2788-100
E-Mail: m.botts@lzh.de
Das Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH) ist eine durch Mittel des Niedersächsischen Ministeriums für Wirtschaft, Arbeit und Verkehr unterstützte Forschungs- und Entwicklungseinrichtung auf dem Gebiet der Lasertechnik.
