KU expert can discuss gravitational wave discovery with reporters


Thu, 02/11/2016

author

Brendan M. Lynch

LAWRENCE — A group of scientists operating the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors, located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, today announced they have observed “ripples in the fabric of spacetime called gravitational waves, arriving at the earth from a cataclysmic event in the distant universe.”

The findings confirm a prediction of Albert Einstein's and offer a new understanding of our universe.

Hume Feldman, professor and chair of physics and astronomy at the University of Kansas, is available to speak with members of the media about the discovery.

“They have detected gravitational waves from two coalescing black holes,” said Feldman. “Gravitational waves are ripples in spacetime that are emitted by very massive objects as they collide and that travel at the speed of light away from the source. LIGO is measuring how distances change while gravitational waves pass the detectors. It can detect changes of distance many thousands of times smaller than the size of a proton. The discovery confirms predictions from Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity published one hundred years ago.”

Feldman studies the large-scale structure of the universe, developing and implementing dynamical and statistical tools. In particular, he analyzes proper distance surveys to find the distribution of mass in the Universe. He looks at the kinetic Sunayev-Zeldovich signature of clusters to study dark energy and the evolution of the Hubble parameter and the distribution, properties and substructure of void-supercluster network. Feldman also investigates the effects of neutrino mass on the power spectrum of mass fluctuation in the linear and non-linear regimes.

The KU researcher said the LIGO observation announced today opens up a new window into the Universe.

“Up until now virtually the only way we could observe the Universe was with electromagnetic radiation, that is, light of different wavelengths, from radio waves to x-rays and gamma-rays,” he said. “This LIGO discovery is the first step to observe the Universe in gravitational waves, a completely different radiation that will inform us of events that were so far hidden from view. These include massive systems such as black holes and neutron stars as well as information about the very early Universe, its formation and subsequent evolution.”

To schedule an interview with Feldman, contact Brendan M. Lynch at 785-864-8855 or Brendan@ku.edu.

Thu, 02/11/2016

author

Brendan M. Lynch

Media Contacts

Brendan M. Lynch

KU News Service

785-864-8855