The Clearest of Chirps (VIDEO)
Caption
This video compares a newly detected gravitational-wave signal called GW250114 with the first gravitational-wave signal ever detected, GW150914, in 2015. Both signals came from colliding black holes, each between 30 to 40 times the mass of the Sun. The colorful visuals illustrate how each gravitational wave’s frequency increases over time as the two black holes spiral closer together, producing a pattern scientists call a “chirp.” Brighter colors indicate that the signal was more clearly identified by LIGO above the background noise. The same gravitational-wave data has also been converted into audio frequencies, making it possible to actually hear these cosmic collisions as they happen.
The video plays each detection twice. The first round is played at the original frequencies, in which the gravitational-wave frequencies have been converted directly into sound waves. In the second round, the pitch has been increased by 30 percent to make the chirp easier to hear.
Listen for the low “whoosh” rising out of the background static—that's the sound of space-time itself rippling. Notice how much quieter the background noise is behind GW250114 compared to GW150914, an indication of how dramatically LIGO’s sensitivity has improved over the past decade.
Credit
LIGO/Derek Davis (URI)
Usage Restrictions
Not for commercial use, reproduce with credits
License
Original content