New gravitational wave telescope developed in collaboration with Sheffield scientists
- Scientists from the University of Sheffield have collaborated on the production of a new telescope that will explore space for optical clues about violent cosmic events that create ripples, or waves, in the fabric of space itself.
- Observatories are currently only able to measure the effects of waves as they pass through our local swath of space-time, which makes it difficult to trace the origin of the source.
- The new telescope, named the Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO), will fill this gap by searching for optical signals in the electromagnetic spectrum that might indicate the source of the wave.
A new telescope, consisting of two identical arrays on opposite sides of the planet, one at La Palma in the Canary Islands and the other in Australia, has been produced to track the source of gravitational waves for the first time.
The Gravitational-wave Optical Transient Observer (GOTO), a collaborative project led by the University of Warwick and with major contributions by the University of Sheffield, will help herd the new era of gravitational wave science.
Deployed on two opposite sides of the Earth to completely cover the sky, GOTO will scour the skies for optical clues about cataclysmic cosmic events that create ripples, or waves, in the fabric of space itself.
Long hypothesized as a by-product of the collisions and merging of cosmic giants such as neutron stars and black holes, gravitational waves were finally detected directly by the LIGO (Laser Interferometry Gravitational-wave Observatory) in 2015.
Since 2015, there have been many subsequent detections, but since observatories like LIGO can only measure the effects of gravitational waves as they pass through swaths of our local spacetime, it can be difficult to track the source’s point of origin.
GOTO was designed to fill this observation gap by searching for optical signals in the electromagnetic spectrum that might indicate a source of gravitational waves (GW) – quickly locating their source and using that information to direct a fleet of telescopes, satellites and instruments there.
Since most GW signals involve merging large objects, these ‘visual’ cues are very fleeting and must be found as quickly as possible, which is where GOTO comes in.
GOTO will act as an intermediary between the likes of LIGO, which detects the presence of gravitational wave events, and more targetable multi-wavelength observatories that can study the optical sources of those events.
The Sheffield astronomers have made major contributions to all aspects of the GOTO project, from the design and management level to installing hardware at La Palma, writing control software that allows the telescope to operate independently, and analyzing the resulting scientific data.
Einstein predicted gravitational waves in his theory of relativity more than 100 years ago, but we are only just beginning to discover what it can teach us about our universe.
Martin Dyer
Leverhulme Postdoctoral Researcher, University of Sheffield
Martin Dyer, Leverhulme Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Sheffield who works at GOTO, said: “A gravitational wave is created when two black holes or neutron stars in close orbit – each ten times heavier than the sun – violently collide. Detection of gravitational waves is like knowing that a truck has passed by feeling the rumble on the road surface and trying to figure out where it came from based on that alone.
“This telescope will be very important for scientists around the world to expand our understanding of the universe. Having access to a telescope will enable our astronomers at the University of Sheffield to accelerate and scale up their pioneering research in this important area of physics.”
Professor Danny Steeghs of the University of Warwick, GOTO Principle Investigator, said: “There is a worldwide fleet of telescopes available to look up into the sky when gravitational waves are detected, to find out more about their source. But because gravitational wave detectors can’t pinpoint where the ripples are coming from, this telescope doesn’t know where to look.”
“If the gravitational wave observatory is the ear, capturing the sound of events, and the telescope is the eye, ready to see events at all wavelengths, then GOTO is the bit in the middle, telling the eye where to look. .”
Following successful testing of the prototype system at La Palma, in the Spanish Canary Islands, the project is deploying a much wider range of second-generation instruments. Two telescope mounting systems, each consisting of eight individual telescopes measuring 40cm, are now operating in La Palma. Combined, these 16 telescopes cover an enormous field of view with 800 million pixels across their digital sensors, allowing the array to sweep through the visible sky every few nights.
GOTO has received £3.2 million in funding from the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) to deploy a full-scale facility, which will operate autonomously, patrolling the skies continuously but also focusing on specific events or regions of the sky in response to warning of potential gravitational wave events.
In parallel, the team is preparing a site at Australia’s Siding Spring Observatory, which will contain a two-mount, 16 telescope system as the La Palma installation.
It is planned that both sites will be operational this year to be ready for the next observations from the LIGO/Virgo gravity wave detector in 2023.
Professor Steeghs continues: “The £3.2m award of STFC funding was critical to enabling us to build GOTO, as we have always imagined; array of wide-field optical telescopes at at least two locations so that they can patrol and search the optical sky regularly and quickly.
“This will allow GOTO to provide that much-needed link, to give larger telescopes a target.”
The optical search for gravitational wave events is the next step in the evolution of gravitational wave astronomy. This has been accomplished once before, but with the help of GOTO it will become much easier.
If astronomers can find a convincing companion for gravitational wave signals, it will be possible to measure distances, characterize sources, study their evolution and determine the environment in which they formed.
Professor Steeghs added: “The hope is to catch the event quickly, then follow it as it fades, and also to trigger an alert to other larger telescopes so they can all gather more information and we can build a very detailed picture of this astronomy. phenomenon.
“This is a very dynamic and exciting time. In astronomy we are used to studying events that are millions of years old and aren’t going anywhere – it’s a fast-paced and very different way of working where every minute counts.”
Professor Vik Dhillon, head of the Astrophysics Research Group in the University of Sheffield’s Department of Physics and Astronomy, said: “The Astrophysics Research Group at the University of Sheffield has been at the core of the GOTO project since it began nearly a decade ago, and we are excited to reap the scientific results of our efforts in the past year. -next years as the telescope at La Palma is fully operational.”
Additional information
GOTO collaborations include:
- Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
- Instituto de Astrophysica de Canarias
- Monash University
- Thailand National Astronomical Research Institute
- University of Leicester
- University of Manchester
- University of Portsmouth
- Sheffield University
- University of Turku, Finland
- University of Warwick
You can find out more about GOTO here.
#gravitational #wave #telescope #developed #collaboration #Sheffield #scientists
Comments
Post a Comment