Nanograv, also known as the nanometer gravity wave Observatory, is a large scientific instrument located in space. It was designed to detect and study gravitational waves, which are ripples in the fabric of spacetime that are produced by some of the most violent events in the Universe. These events include the collisions of black holes and neutron stars, and the supernovae explosions of massive stars.
Nanograv consists of a network of laser interferometers that measure changes in the distance between objects caused by passing gravitational waves. The data from these interferometers is combined using a technique called data analysis to search for signals from Gravitational Waves. The data analysis techniques used by Nanograv are very sensitive, and allow us to measure changes in distance that are much smaller than the width of an atom.
The primary science goal of Nanograv is to make the first direct detection of gravitational waves using this new technique. This will allow us to study some of the most energetic events in the Universe, and test our understanding of Einstein’s theory of general relativity in regimes where it has never been tested before. In addition, Nanograv will be able to study other astrophysical phenomena such as pulsars and compact binary systems with unprecedented precision.
Nanograv is an international collaboration between over 100 scientists from more than 20 institutions around the world. The Observatory is operated by a team of scientists and engineers at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York, USA.