Gravitational waves

This page features an overview of all our "Spotlights on relativity" dealing with gravitational waves. There is a spotlight text explaining the wave's Basic properties, and a text in the category Gravitational wave sources which deals with ways of making gravitational waves audible; the texts under the heading On the road to detection describes the experiments currently under way or under construction to detect gravitational waves directly. Also, there is a text describing one of the Cosmological applications of gravitational waves.

Useful background information on gravitational waves can be found in our introduction Elementary Einstein, especially in the chapter Gravitational waves.

Basic properties

	The wave nature of simple gravitational waves A closer look at the way that simple gravitational waves propagate through space with time

Gravitational wave sources

	Chirping neutron stars For some gravitational wave signals, one can go beyond graphs and animations - they can be made audible

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On the road to detection

More about gravitational wave detectors on earth and in space

	Listening posts around the globe Overview of the gravitational wave detectors currently operational, or under construction
	Einstein@Home - gravitational waves for everybody Informations about how you personally can help with the search for gravitational wave - by donating processing time on your private computer
	Catching the wave with light Some information on how interferometric detectors such as LIGO or GEO600 work
	Small vibrations Some information on how the vintage models among gravitational wave detectors work - resonant detectors
	LISA - Hunting waves in space Information about the most ambitious gravitational wave project yet - a detector in space

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Cosmological applications

	Of gravitational waves and spherical chickens (also in Cosmology)    Information about a class of simple model universes, each an expanding cosmos filled with gravitational waves

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