Scientists to provide update on the search for gravitational waves

100 years after Einstein predicted the existence of gravitational waves, the National Science Foundation gathers scientists from Caltech, MIT and the LIGO Scienti­c Collaboration to update the scienti­c community on efforts to detect them.

This year marks the 100th anniversary of the fi­rst publication of Albert Einstein's prediction of the existence of gravitational waves. With interest in this topic piqued by the centennial, the group will discuss their ongoing efforts to observe gravitational waves.

LIGO, a system of two identical detectors carefully constructed to detect incredibly tiny vibrations from passing gravitational waves, was conceived and built by MIT and Caltech researchers ,funded by the National Science Foundation, with signi­cant contributions from other U.S. and international partners. The twin detectors are located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. Research and analysis of data from the detectors is carried out by a global group of scientists, including the LSC, which includes the GEO600 Collaboration, and the VIRGO Collaboration.

NOTES

PROGRAM

16:00: Presentation by R. Emparan (ICREA-ICCUB) Gravitational Waves: What they are, and wha tLIGO’s detection represents

16:30: Live online broadcast by streaming of the press release (if available *)

17:00: (estimated) Round table with ICCUB researchers R. Emparan (ICREA-ICCUB), M. Zilhao, D. Espriu, JM Paredes and J. Miralda.

* The broadcast link has not been provided by LIGO yet. The availability of the broadcast will depend on LIGO.