Gravitational waves are invisible 'ripples' in space-time caused by some of the most violent and energetic processes in the Universe. Albert Einstein first predicted their existence over a century ago. They are only produced by the most powerful events in the universe, such as the Big Bang itself, or the collision of ultra-dense objects like black holes.
These gravitational waves were detected for the first time in 2015, with a total of 90 discovered today. Significantly, they represent important discoveries in that they can reveal the nature of exotic objects like black holes, and strongly warped patches of the universe. The waves are detected using specialist equipment that involves cutting-edge laser technology.
In joining the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, the Queen Mary team of researchers, led by Dr Tessa Baker, will be at the forefront of the field of gravitational wave astronomy. As part of the group, they will work closely with other leading scientists around the world studying these incredible astronomical events.
The Queen Mary team joins as this year sees the start of a fresh 'run' in searching for new gravitational wave events. Hundreds more are expected to be discovered, owing to improvements in the detectors' sensitivity. As experts in cosmology - the study of the origin of the universe - the team aims to utilise the full set of new events to shed light on one of the biggest scientific questions in history, namely the laws of gravity that govern the largest scales in the universe.
Dr Tessa Baker, Proleptic Reader in Cosmology at Queen Mary University of London said: "Myself and my fellow researchers at Queen Mary are very excited to join the global effort to detect gravitational waves.
"We are privileged to be part of this work at this key turning point in astronomy. We hope to use the unique scientific opportunities in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration to explore long-standing questions, such as the properties of black holes and the fundamental nature of gravity."
Dr Tessa Baker and her team are supported by the European Research Council and the Royal Society.
