Warped Space-time, Exploding Stars and the Beginning of Time:

An Introduction to Gravitational-wave Physics

Eric Thane
Post-doc on LIGO
University of Minnesota

Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts the existence of gravitational waves: ripples in the fabric of space-time.  Though we have yet to detect them directly, it is believed that gravitational waves are created in violent cosmic events such as exploding stars and the birth of the universe.  Detecting them will give us unprecedented information about the universe's wild side.  I will describe Einstein's theory of general relativity and its prediction of gravitational waves.  Then I shall describe the LIGO experiment, which aims to make the first direct detection of gravitational waves.