Jump to content

Lunar reflectors for long-base-line G.Wave detectr?

Featured Replies

Could you use reflectors, anchored to the moon, for long-base-line Gravity Wave detectors? What about satellites, or systems thereof, in Geo-Synchronous Orbit? (Or, given the success of detecting earth's precession, with Relativistic accuracy, w/ gyro-scopes, could 3 mutually-perpendicular gyro-scopes detect GWs -- i.e., would GWs affect transverse vs. longitudinal rotations differently??)

"Could you use reflectors, anchored to the moon, for long-base-line Gravity Wave detectors?"

Yes, but where would you put the other end of the base line?

Earth's atmosphere pretty much rules it out.

So you would need a satellite in orbit round the moon to use as the "other end" You could do that, but the earth's gravitational field would make it difficult.

It's probably best to do what they already chose to do.

  • 2 weeks later...
  • Author

Thanks for the clarifications. If I might impose -- if interferometry allows multiple radio dishes, to be "thralled" together, to mimic a (patchy) radar of much larger dimensions... can something similar be done, at optical wavelengths ? To wit, could a "farm" of "solar panels", as it were, be thralled together, to mimic large >1000m, multi-acre, mirrors ??

  • Author

Wow -- what about using existing sight-lines, to distant stars, in substitute for the legs of LISA; and, then, looking for "gravitational scintillation" effects, from passing gravity waves ??

  • Author

All I'm saying is, "gravitational lensing" -- i.e., a transiting compact object makes observable "gravitational scintillations" in earth-bound light rays, by "warping" space-time; similarly, masses can also induce propagating "vibrations" in space-time, which would produce effects similar to grav. lensing, i.e., "grav. scintillation".

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Important Information

We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.

Configure browser push notifications

Chrome (Android)
  1. Tap the lock icon next to the address bar.
  2. Tap Permissions → Notifications.
  3. Adjust your preference.
Chrome (Desktop)
  1. Click the padlock icon in the address bar.
  2. Select Site settings.
  3. Find Notifications and adjust your preference.