Artists rendering of two black holes in a gravitational tango. Image credits: NASA. Wikimedia Commons

Prof. C.S. Unnikrishnan, TIFR, Mumbai


4:00PM - 4:40PM, P.C. Saxena Auditorium


The New Wave in Physics, Astronomy and Technology

Prof. Sukanta Bose, IUCAA, Pune


4:40PM - 5:20PM, P.C. Saxena Auditorium


The observation of a gravitational wave signal and the new opportunities it opens up

Prof. K.G. Arun, CMI, Chennai


5:20PM - 6:00PM, P.C. Saxena Auditorium


Decoding a binary black hole merger


On September 14th, 2015 at 9:51 UTC (15:21 IST) the twin Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) detectors, located in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, USA observed signatures of a gravitational wave. On February 11th, 2016 the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, comprising more than a 1000 scientists from 15 countries, announced that the signature was due to the inspiral and merger of two black holes, of 29 and 36 solar masses, 1.3 billion light years away.

This first direct observation of gravitational waves was a triumph of experimental physics, made possible by the Advanced LIGO detectors which is capable of detecting stretches and compressions of spacetime as small as one part in 1022. The detection validates the prediction of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity made exactly 100 years ago in 1916, and is the culmination of five decades of experimental efforts. The LIGO discovery heralds the beginning of a new era of gravitational wave astronomy, opening up sections of the universe that are yet inaccessible to us.

The LIGO Scientific Collaboration comprises of a strong Indian contingent who have contributed enormously to this discovery. The Organizing Committee of SYMPHY 2016 is proud to invite some of the leading members of the LIGO-India (INDIGO) group for public lectures on the discovery of gravitational waves.