Encyclopedia/1. The Cosmos & The Natural World/2. Physics & Chemistry/02. Relativity & Gravitational Physics • Curated by Admin Timeline.sg
Biographical timeline tracking the seminal contributions, inventions, and lasting legacies of leading figures in Gravitational Waves & Interferometry, from early experiments to modern detections.
Chronological Storyline (42 Milestones)
1687 CE
Newton Publishes Principia
Isaac Newton publishes 'Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica', formulating the law of universal gravitation, laying the foundation for gravitational physics. #physics #history
Newton Publishes Principia By The original uploader was Zhaladshar at English Wikisource. - Transferred from en.wikisource to Commons. (previous image from another copy) Internet Archive (current image from the Bern Dibner copy), Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=2681838
1801 CE
Young's Double-Slit Experiment
Thomas Young demonstrates wave interference of light using a double-slit experiment, establishing the wave theory of light and early interferometry principles. #physics #optics
1887 CE
Michelson-Morley Experiment
Albert A. Michelson and Edward W. Morley use an interferometer to detect the luminiferous ether, producing a null result that later supports special relativity. #physics #experiment
Michelson-Morley Experiment By Case Western Reserve University - http://www.cellularuniverse.org/AA2MM_Aether.htm, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=48697725
1899 CE
Fabry-Pérot Interferometer Invented
Charles Fabry and Alfred Pérot develop the Fabry-Pérot interferometer, a key technology for modern gravitational wave detectors. #physics #optics
Fabry-Pérot Interferometer Invented By Johnwalton - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5821784
Nov 25, 1915 CE
Einstein Completes General Relativity
Albert Einstein presents the final form of general relativity, describing gravity as a curvature of spacetime, which predicts gravitational waves. #physics #relativity
Einstein Completes General Relativity By Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Lensing (SXS) - https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/video/ligo20160211v3 (video link); see also http://www.black-holes.org/gw150914, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46994894
1916 CE
Einstein Predicts Gravitational Waves
Albert Einstein predicts the existence of gravitational waves as ripples in spacetime, based on his general theory of relativity. #physics #gravitationalwaves
Einstein Predicts Gravitational Waves By Simulating eXtreme Spacetimes Collaboration/Canadian Institute for Theoretical Astrophysics/SciNet - http://www.black-holes.org/gw150914 (see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-2XIuNFgD0), CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46983496
1918 CE
Einstein Corrects Gravitational Wave Formula
Albert Einstein revises his calculation of gravitational wave energy, deriving the quadrupole formula. #physics #gravitationalwaves
1936 CE
Einstein and Rosen Reconsider Gravitational Waves
Einstein and Nathan Rosen initially argue that gravitational waves might not exist, but later retract, confirming their reality. #physics #gravitationalwaves
1957 CE
Chapel Hill Conference on Gravitational Waves
A pivotal conference at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where physicists including Joseph Weber discuss gravitational wave detection, leading to Weber's bar detectors. #physics #history
Robert Pound and Glen Rebka use the Mössbauer effect to measure gravitational redshift, supporting general relativity. #physics #experiment
Pound-Rebka Experiment Confirms Gravitational Redshift By http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Lumidek - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:JeffersonLeft.jpg, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3421331
May 16, 1960 CE
Maiman Builds First Laser
Theodore Maiman demonstrates the first working laser, which later becomes essential for laser interferometry in gravitational wave detectors. #physics #optics
Maiman Builds First Laser By ESO/A. Ghizzi Panizza (www.albertoghizzipanizza.com) - This media was produced by the European Southern Observatory (ESO), under the identifier potw2222a This tag does not indicate the copyright status of the attached work. A normal copyright tag is still required. See Commons:Licensing., CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=135742267
1962 CE
Weber Begins Building Resonant Bar Detector
Joseph Weber constructs the first resonant mass gravitational wave detector at the University of Maryland, pioneering experimental efforts. #physics #history
1969 CE
Weber Claims Detection of Gravitational Waves
Joseph Weber announces detection of gravitational waves using resonant bar detectors, but subsequent experiments fail to replicate the results, discrediting the claim. #physics #gravitationalwaves
Weber Claims Detection of Gravitational Waves By US Navy - http://www.usna.com/NC/History/ClassOf1940/images/JosephWeber.jpg, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=17701824
1970 CE
Rainer Weiss Conceives LIGO Concept
Rainer Weiss of MIT begins developing the idea of using a laser interferometer to detect gravitational waves, which later becomes the LIGO project. #physics #interferometry
Rainer Weiss Conceives LIGO Concept By Bengt Nyman from Vaxholm, Sweden - Rainer Weiss EM1B8841, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=64662259
1972 CE
Rainer Weiss Publishes Interferometer Design Paper
Rainer Weiss publishes a seminal paper detailing a laser interferometer design for gravitational wave detection, influencing LIGO. #physics #interferometry
Jul 2, 1974 CE
Hulse and Taylor Discover Binary Pulsar
Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor discover the binary pulsar PSR B1913+16, whose orbital decay matches general relativity's prediction of gravitational wave emission, providing indirect evidence. #physics #astronomy
1978 CE
Joseph Taylor Confirms Orbital Decay of Binary Pulsar
Joseph Taylor and colleagues confirm that the orbital decay of PSR B1913+16 matches general relativity predictions, providing strong indirect evidence for gravitational waves. #physics #astronomy
1980 CE
LIGO Concept Developed Further
The idea for a large-scale laser interferometer gravitational-wave observatory (LIGO) is solidified through workshops and proposals at Caltech and MIT. #physics #LIGO
LIGO Concept Developed Further By Amber Stuver - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46993713
1984 CE
LIGO Project Proposed
The LIGO project is formally proposed by Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne, and others, leading to funding and construction. #physics #LIGO
1992 CE
LIGO Approved by NSF
The U.S. National Science Foundation approves funding for LIGO, initiating construction of two observatories in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. #physics #LIGO
Dec 10, 1993 CE
Hulse and Taylor Win Nobel Prize
Russell Hulse and Joseph Taylor receive the Nobel Prize in Physics for their discovery of the binary pulsar, providing indirect evidence for gravitational waves. #physics #nobel
Hulse and Taylor Win Nobel Prize By Photograph: JonathunderMedal: Erik Lindberg (1873-1966) - Derivative of File:NobelPrize.JPG, PD-US, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=58432969
1994 CE
Construction of LIGO Begins
Groundbreaking at the LIGO sites marks the start of construction for the two interferometer detectors. #physics #LIGO
Nov 1, 1999 CE
LIGO Begins Operations
LIGO detectors become operational, starting with initial low-sensitivity runs. #physics #LIGO
2000 CE
GEO600 Becomes Operational
The German-British GEO600 interferometer near Hanover begins operations, testing technologies for advanced detectors. #physics #interferometry
GEO600 Becomes Operational By Oge oval - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=44133970
2002 CE
LIGO First Science Run (S1)
LIGO conducts its first science run, collecting data to search for gravitational waves, though no detections are made. #physics #LIGO
2005 CE
Advanced LIGO Design Initiated
The design phase for Advanced LIGO begins, aiming to significantly increase sensitivity for detections. #physics #LIGO
2007 CE
Virgo Collaboration Formed
The Virgo interferometer in Italy, built by the Virgo collaboration, becomes operational, complementing LIGO. #physics #Virgo
Virgo Collaboration Formed By The Virgo collaboration, CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45342143
2010 CE
LIGO Shuts Down for Upgrades
Initial LIGO ceases operations to undergo major upgrades to become Advanced LIGO. #physics #LIGO
2011 CE
Advanced LIGO Construction Begins
Construction of Advanced LIGO starts, involving major upgrades to sensitivity. #physics #LIGO
Sep 14, 2015 CE
First Direct Detection of Gravitational Waves (GW150914)
Advanced LIGO detects gravitational waves from a binary black hole merger, confirming Einstein's prediction. #physics #gravitationalwaves
First Direct Detection of Gravitational Waves (GW150914) By B. P. Abbott et al. (LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration) — full list at the end of the article - http://physics.aps.org/featured-article-pdf/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.061102 . See also the associated Jupyter notebook., CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=46987868
Sep 18, 2015 CE
Advanced LIGO Begins First Observing Run (O1)
Advanced LIGO starts its first observing run, which shortly leads to the discovery of GW150914. #physics #LIGO
Feb 11, 2016 CE
LIGO Announces GW150914
The LIGO collaboration officially announces the first direct detection of gravitational waves, a breakthrough in astronomy. #physics #gravitationalwaves
Jun 15, 2016 CE
LIGO Announces Second Detection (GW151226)
LIGO announces a second gravitational wave signal from a black hole merger, confirming the discovery. #physics #gravitationalwaves
LIGO Announces Second Detection (GW151226) By LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration - http://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.241103 This plot was created with Matplotlib., CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=49503102
Aug 17, 2017 CE
GW170817: Neutron Star Merger Detected
Gravitational waves from a neutron star merger (GW170817) are detected, followed by electromagnetic observations, inaugurating multi-messenger astronomy. #physics #astronomy
GW170817: Neutron Star Merger Detected By LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration - https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.161101 This W3C-unspecified plot was created with Matplotlib., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=63455773
Oct 3, 2017 CE
Nobel Prize Awarded for LIGO Discoveries
Rainer Weiss, Kip Thorne, and Barry Barish win the Nobel Prize in Physics for decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and gravitational wave observation. #physics #nobel
Oct 16, 2017 CE
LIGO and Virgo Announce GW170814
The first joint detection by LIGO and Virgo of a binary black hole merger is announced, improving sky localization. #physics #gravitationalwaves
LIGO and Virgo Announce GW170814 By LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration - https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.141101 (GW170814: A Three-Detector Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Coalescence, Abbott et al., Physical Review Letters) This plot was created with Matplotlib., CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=62823015
Feb 1, 2019 CE
KAGRA Joins Gravitational Wave Network
The KAGRA interferometer in Japan begins operations, adding a new node to the global gravitational wave detector network. #physics #KAGRA
KAGRA Joins Gravitational Wave Network By Christopher Berry - http://cplberry.com/2015/07/26/whats-up-doc/, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=45370733
2020 CE
LIGO and Virgo Observing Run O3 Completed
The third observing run (O3) of LIGO and Virgo ends, yielding numerous gravitational wave candidates and expanding the catalog. #physics #gravitationalwaves
2021 CE
LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration Publishes GWTC-3
The third gravitational-wave transient catalog is released, containing 90 candidate events. #physics #gravitationalwaves
LIGO-Virgo-KAGRA Collaboration Publishes GWTC-3 By Ligo.gif: The original uploader was MOBle at English Wikipedia. derivative work: Malyszkz language-switch: Rothwild Chinese: Yinweichen German: Mfb Macedonian: B. Jankuloski Russian: Эээ Polish: Mbejger Ukrainian: Kirsim - Own work based on: Ligo.gif:, Public domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=18325956
Jun 29, 2023 CE
NANOGrav Detects Gravitational Wave Background
The NANOGrav collaboration reports evidence for a gravitational wave background using pulsar timing arrays, opening a new window on the universe. #physics #astronomy
NANOGrav Detects Gravitational Wave Background By NANOGrav - https://nanograv.org/press/image-gallery (info about licence can be found here: https://nanograv.org/resources/press), CC BY 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=171055295
Sep 1, 2023 CE
LISA Pathfinder Mission Completes
The ESA's LISA Pathfinder successfully demonstrates key technologies for future space-based gravitational wave observatory LISA. #physics #space
LISA Pathfinder Mission Completes By DLR German Aerospace Center - LISA Pathfinder, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32945545
2024 CE
LIGO-India Project Approved
The LIGO-India project receives full approval, aiming to expand the global detector network and improve source localization. #physics #LIGO
