Speaker:
Geraint Lewis
Affiliation:
University of Sydney
Date:
Fri, 13/05/2016 - 2:30pm to 3:30pm
Venue:
Carslaw 375, University of Sydney
Abstract:
The direct detection of gravitational waves has been touted as one of the greatest scientific discoveries. But what are gravitational waves, and how were they detected? Here, I will review the concepts and ideas behind Einstein's general theory of relativity, including the notion of space-time, the stuff that does the waving in a gravitational wave. We will also consider the interaction of a gravitational wave with matter, and look at how we deduce that the wave was formed by the collision by two massive black holes.