Skip to main content
Log in

A common misconception about LIGO detectors of gravitational waves

  • Research Article
  • Published:
General Relativity and Gravitation Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

A common misconception about laser interferometric detectors of gravitational waves purports that, because the wavelength of laser light and the length of an interferometer’s arm are both stretched by a gravitational wave, no effect should be visible, invoking an analogy with cosmological redshift in an expanding universe. The issue is clarified with the help of a direct calculation.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. www.ligo.caltech.edu

  2. Freise A. (2005). Status of Virgo. Class. Quant. Grav. 22: S869

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Rowan S., Hough J. (2000). Gravitational Wave Detection by Interferometry (Ground and Space). Living Rev. Relativity 3: 3

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  4. Tinto M., Dhurandar S.V. (2005). Time-delay interferometry. Living Rev. Relativ. 8: 4

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  5. Saulson P.R. (1997). If light waves are stretched by gravitational waves, how can we use light as a ruler to detect gravitational waves?. Am. J. Phys. 65: 501

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  6. http://elmer.tapir.caltech.edu/ph237/, lecture 1

  7. Garfinkle D. (2006). Gauge invariance and the detection of gravitational radiation. Am. J. Phys. 74: 196

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Misner C.W., Thorne K.S., Wheeler J.A. (1973). Gravitation. Freeman, San Francisco

    Google Scholar 

  9. Faraoni V. (1993). On the rotation of polarization by a gravitational lens. Astron. Astrophys. 272: 385

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  10. Cooperstock F.I., Faraoni V. (1993). Laser interferometric detectors of gravitational waves. Class. Quant. Grav. 10: 1189

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Valerio Faraoni.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Faraoni, V. A common misconception about LIGO detectors of gravitational waves. Gen Relativ Gravit 39, 677–684 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-007-0415-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-007-0415-5

Keywords

Navigation