Einstein's Centennial Gift: Gravitational Waves Discovered - Sanjeev Dhurandhar [12Feb2016]
Channel: IUCAA SciPOP
Date: 2016-02-17

A spectacular prediction of Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity in 1916 was Gravitational Waves. The existence of the waves was established by the Nobel Prize winning observations of the Hulse-Taylor binary pulsar, whose orbit decays exactly as predicted by general relativity. Much before this, in the 1960s, Joe Weber began pioneering efforts for detecting these waves using resonant mass detectors. The weakness of the gravitational force implies that the waves are extremely difficult to detect - one must effectively measure distance changes much smaller than the size of a proton. After half a century, technology has taken immense strides and the current advanced detectors are now capable of reaching the requisite sensitivity to detect the waves.

Gravitational waves carry information about their dramatic origins and about the nature of gravity that cannot be otherwise obtained. A new astronomical window to the universe is about to be opened. This talk will describe global efforts of current & future detectors as well as the Indian contribution and efforts towards this goal.

Bio: Sanjeev Dhurandhar is a world-renowned astrophysicist, whose work interest lies in the detection and observation of Gravitational Wave (GW). A major component of his work is on GW data analysis and computer modelling of GW detectors. Dhurandhar has collaborations with major detector groups world-wide and has been a member of the  Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) Science Collaboration since 2000. He is a pioneer of GW research in India and is one of the proposers of India’s own GW observatory - LIGO-India.