An Introduction to Gravitational Wave Astronomy

Hello Everyone,

I would like to thank Bill Anthony for inviting me to talk at the June 2014 research meeting. I would also like to thank Jim Roselli for recording the entire talk and uploading it to YouTube. The entire meeting is available in the video, with the talk beginning around 17 minutes:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtbS-tH5Glc

I feel the talk went very well, and I greatly appreciate the positive feedback I received! I certainly still have a lot to learn, but really enjoyed giving an introduction to gravitational wave astronomy, and a brief overview of my research. The abstract is below. Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions!(revalsm1[at]tcnj[dot]edu)

ABSTRACT:

An Introduction to Gravitational Wave Astronomy & Undergraduate Research Results

In the first half of this presentation I will give a nontechnical overview of gravitational wave astrophysics. I will aim to conceptually explore what gravitational waves are, and how they differ from electromagnetic waves which are typically used to explore the cosmos. Attention will be devoted to exploring gravitational wave generation, sources of gravitational wave emission, and how astronomers are attempting to detect these subtle variations in space-time. This conceptual development will be connected to what we can learn about the universe from gravitational waves, and where the field stands currently. This is intended for all audiences, regardless of prior knowledge, to provide a very basic but conceptually strong introduction to gravitational waves, and the role they play in our studies of the universe.

During the second half of the presentation I will discuss the results of my undergraduate research in studying gravitational wave interactions with matter, and what consequences arise in our studies of astrophysics. Specifically, I will discuss the interaction of gravitational waves with gas clouds and how this could be a possible mechanism in triggering star formation. Additionally, I will focus on the interactions of gravitational waves with charged particles, which could lead to the emission of electromagnetic radiation, attenuating the gravitational waves. These effects, along with many others, require more exploration in order to form a complete model of gravitational wave interactions in our universe, and are important in an era of rapidly improving detector technology.

Mitchell Revalski has been a Member and Qualified Observer at the NJAA Observatory for over a decade, and attributes much of his success to the guidance he received during his many evenings spent there. He has recently graduated from The College of New Jersey with a Bachelor’s Degree in Physics, and will be continuing on in the fall to pursue a Ph.D. in Astronomy at Georgia State University.