Big Bang Observer
Encyclopedia
The Big Bang Observer is a proposed successor to the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
(LISA). The primary scientific goal will be the observation of gravitational waves from the time shortly after the Big Bang
, but it will also be able to detect younger sources of gravitational radiation, like binary inspirals. BBO will likely be sensitive to all LIGO
and LISA
sources, and others. Its extreme sensitivity comes from the higher-power lasers, and correlation of signals from several different interferometers located around the Sun.
The proposed instrument is a collection of four instruments like LISA, each composed of three spacecraft flown in a triangular pattern. Two of the triangles will be on top of each other, in a hexagram formation. The other two triangles will be located at distant places along Earth's orbit.
The individual satellites will differ from those in LISA by having far more powerful lasers. In addition each triangle will be much smaller than the triangles in LISA's pattern. Because of this smaller size, the test masses will experience smaller tidal deviations, and thus can be locked on a particular fringe of the interferometer — much as in LIGO
. By contrast, LISA's test masses will fly in an essentially free orbit, with the spacecraft flying around them, and interferometer fringes will simply be counted, in a technique called "time-delay interferometry".
The BBO instruments present massive technological challenges. Funding has not been allocated for development, and even optimistic estimates place the instrument's launch date many decades away.
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna is a planned space mission to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves from astronomical sources. LISA was originally conceived as a joint effort between the United States space agency NASA and the European Space Agency...
(LISA). The primary scientific goal will be the observation of gravitational waves from the time shortly after the Big Bang
Big Bang
The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological model that explains the early development of the Universe. According to the Big Bang theory, the Universe was once in an extremely hot and dense state which expanded rapidly. This rapid expansion caused the young Universe to cool and resulted in...
, but it will also be able to detect younger sources of gravitational radiation, like binary inspirals. BBO will likely be sensitive to all LIGO
LIGO
LIGO, which stands for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, is a large-scale physics experiment aiming to directly detect gravitational waves. Cofounded in 1992 by Kip Thorne and Ronald Drever of Caltech and Rainer Weiss of MIT, LIGO is a joint project between scientists at MIT,...
and LISA
Laser Interferometer Space Antenna
The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna is a planned space mission to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves from astronomical sources. LISA was originally conceived as a joint effort between the United States space agency NASA and the European Space Agency...
sources, and others. Its extreme sensitivity comes from the higher-power lasers, and correlation of signals from several different interferometers located around the Sun.
The proposed instrument is a collection of four instruments like LISA, each composed of three spacecraft flown in a triangular pattern. Two of the triangles will be on top of each other, in a hexagram formation. The other two triangles will be located at distant places along Earth's orbit.
The individual satellites will differ from those in LISA by having far more powerful lasers. In addition each triangle will be much smaller than the triangles in LISA's pattern. Because of this smaller size, the test masses will experience smaller tidal deviations, and thus can be locked on a particular fringe of the interferometer — much as in LIGO
LIGO
LIGO, which stands for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory, is a large-scale physics experiment aiming to directly detect gravitational waves. Cofounded in 1992 by Kip Thorne and Ronald Drever of Caltech and Rainer Weiss of MIT, LIGO is a joint project between scientists at MIT,...
. By contrast, LISA's test masses will fly in an essentially free orbit, with the spacecraft flying around them, and interferometer fringes will simply be counted, in a technique called "time-delay interferometry".
The BBO instruments present massive technological challenges. Funding has not been allocated for development, and even optimistic estimates place the instrument's launch date many decades away.
See also
- Cosmic gravitational wave backgroundCosmic gravitational wave backgroundThe cosmic gravitational wave background is a relic of the Cosmic inflation that can be measured directly or indirectly by examining the polarization of the Cosmic microwave background radiation...
- Gravitational waveGravitational waveIn physics, gravitational waves are theoretical ripples in the curvature of spacetime which propagates as a wave, traveling outward from the source. Predicted to exist by Albert Einstein in 1916 on the basis of his theory of general relativity, gravitational waves theoretically transport energy as...
- Laser Interferometer Space AntennaLaser Interferometer Space AntennaThe Laser Interferometer Space Antenna is a planned space mission to detect and accurately measure gravitational waves from astronomical sources. LISA was originally conceived as a joint effort between the United States space agency NASA and the European Space Agency...