2024-09-27
Thesis
SA2_GRWA
Research Area
Experiments
The first experimental detection of gravitational waves, obtained by the LIGO collaboration in 2015, is one of the great scientific milestones of the 21st century. These ripples in space-time are caused by some of the most violent cosmic phenomena, such as the mergers of black holes and neutron stars or supernova explosions. In this way, these events contribute to validate the theory of general relativity put forward by Einstein in 1915.
With the first María de Maeztu accreditation in 2017, the scientific management of the IGFAE identified gravitational waves as a great opportunity to open a new line of research. This commitment resulted in the creation of a team at the centre itself and the incorporation into the LIGO collaboration in 2018.
In these years, the Institute’s staff has already taken on relevant analysis tasks in this experiment. In addition, some detections of these events are opening the door to demonstrating the existence of cosmic objects beyond the Standard Model, as well as candidates for dark matter. With the opening of the new headquarters, the IGFAE also plans to dedicate one of its laboratories to the development of instrumentation for gravitational wave experiments.
Principal investigator
Juan Calderón Bustillo
Initial date
2024-09-01
Final date
2029-08-31
Agency
AEI - Agencia Estatal de Investigación