Renowned 'Gravitational Waves' Physicist Speaks April 19 at USU

Einstein was right. On Sept. 14, 2016, scientists at the nation’s massive Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, known as “LIGO,” detected and recorded, for the first time, gravitational waves emanating from a collision of black holes whirling through space more than a billion light-years away.

Einstein imagined this elusive phenomenon on paper 100 years ago and the excitement of its long-awaited discovery sent ripples of excitement throughout the globe, including Utah State University’s campus.

Tuesday, April 19, USU’s Department of Physics welcomes world-renowned physicist and LIGO spokesperson Gabriela González to campus for a first-hand account of that exciting day of discovery when gravitational waves vibrated antennas at LIGO’s facilities in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington.

González presents “Searching for — and Finding — Gravitational Waves” at 2:30 p.m. in the Taggart Student Center Auditorium. All are welcome and admission is free.

“I’ll briefly describe the nature of gravitational waves, the details of the observed signal and astrophysical implications, the technology involved in the exquisitely sensitive detectors and the prospects for future observations of more gravitational waves,” says the professor of physics and astronomy at Louisiana State University.

USU physics professor David Peak calls LIGO’s capture of the “almost unimaginably weak” gravitational ripples the most sophisticated engineering feat in human history.

“That (the long-predicted) gravitational waves have finally been directly measured is not the big deal,” Peak says. “What’s amazing about this discovery is the waves could be detected at all with earth-bound instruments and the relatively small size of the orbiting bodies that produced them.”

USU College of Science Dean Maura Hagan, a physicist, says “we are lucky to be alive at a time when LIGO scientists confirmed Einstein’s prediction.”

“It’s important for our students to know this long-awaited discovery was built on the persistent efforts of a team of talented scientists from multiple institutions, which relied on considerable investment from the National Science Foundation and international partners,” she says.

For more information about the lecture, contact the USU Department of Physics at 435-797-2857.

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