What are Gravitational Waves ?

Gravitational Waves are assumptions from the curious minds ever, Albert Einstein. They are the ripples caused in space-time sheet due to the motion of masses.

Gravitational waves are produced whenever masses accelerate, changing the distortion of space-time fabric. Everything with mass and /or energy can cause ripples. As gravitational waves rolls by it will squeeze and stretch anything in its path but in a very infinitesimally small change which makes it extremely difficult to detect.

So to detect these ripples we use the idea of the time taken by the light to travel is more when the distance increases and less when distance decreases, which is what the principle used in the interferometer. Thus LIGO experiment comes into the picture.

LIGO - Laser Interference Gravitational-wave Observatory.

Here 4km long tunnels are set up where lasers are used to measure the change in distance between the ends of the tunnels.

So when Gravitational wave comes in contact, it elongates space in one direction and squeezes in another direction. By measuring the interference of lasers physicists can precisely conclude about these waves and its incredible as we surely need a smart analysis as it can easily be confused with the other existing waves and disturbances as they are very minuscule.

 Here is the data recorded from LIGO Livingston and LIGO Hanford.

Gravitational waves are helpful in detecting the universe in a whole new way. 
They are significant.


So to know more deeply :
https://physics.aps.org/featured-article-pdf/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102






“The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existence. One cannot help but be in awe when he contemplates the mysteries of eternity, of life, of the marvellous structure of reality. It is enough if one tries merely to comprehend a little of this mystery each day."