The Search for Gravitons: Modifying Gravity Waves With Light
DrkShadow writes:
https://www.hzdr.de/db/Cms?pNid=99&pOid=76137
Proposed is a plan to impact gravity waves, imparting more energy unto them, by using lasers - much like the LIGO interferometer, but in reverse. By imparting energy from light into the gravity waves, we subtly change the gravity wave itself, and can measure the amount of energy taken from the light source. Thus, we can measure properties about the gravity wave - and, perhaps, the graviton.
In an interferometer tailored to Schutzhold's idea, it could be possible not only to observe gravitational waves but also to manipulate them for the first time by stimulated emission and absorption of gravitons. According to Schutzhold, light pulses whose photons are entangled, that is, quantum mechanically coupled, could significantly increase the sensitivity of the interferometer further. "Then we could even draw inferences about the quantum state of the gravitational field itself," says Schutzhold.
High-school level summary at link, with link to journal article contained within.
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