gravitational wave

plural gravitational waves

1. relativityA fluctuation in spacetime caused by accelerating mass, which propagates as a wave at the speed of light.

   Fourth, there exists a strong competition on the side of purely astronomical means for indirect detection of gravitational waves.

   2003, John W. Mason, editor, Astrophysics Update, Berlin: Springer-Verlag; Chichester, West Sussex: Praxis Publishing, →ISBN, page 282

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   It is therefore apparent that the existence of gravitational waves can be deduced from general relativity just as the existence of electromagnetic waves can be deduced from Maxwell's theory.

   1941, Leopold Infeld, Quest: The Evolution of a Scientist, New York, N.Y.: Doubleday, Doran & Co., →OCLC, page 261

   It might be anticipated that a pulsating star, such as a Cepheid is believed to be, would emit gravitational waves abundantly; but when the question is examined analytically, this expectation is not confirmed.

   1949, Edmund [Taylor] Whittaker, From Euclid to Eddington: A Study of Conceptions of the External World, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, →OCLC, page 119

   A gravitational-wave detector exploits the physical effects of a gravitational wave on bodies to detect the waves. A gravitational wave detector may, for example, monitor the separation between two freely falling bodies; as a gravitational wave passes, the two bodies will experience a tidal acceleration relative to each other.

   2011, Jolien D[onald] E[arl] Creighton with Warren G. Anderson, “Gravitational Waves”, in Gravitational-Wave Physics and Astronomy: An Introduction to Theory, Experiment and Data Analysis, Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, →ISBN

   Physicists have announced the discovery of gravitational waves, ripples in spacetime first anticipated by Albert Einstein a century ago. “We have detected gravitational waves. We did it,” said David Reitze, executive director of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (Ligo), at a press conference in Washington.

   2016 February 11, Tim Radford, “Gravitational waves: discovery hailed as breakthrough of the century: Scientists announce discovery of clear gravitational wave signal, ripples in spacetime first predicted by Albert Einstein”, in The Guardian, London

   Scientists have detected about 300 black hole mergers from the gravitational waves they generate. Until now, the most massive merger known produced a black hole about 140 times the mass of the sun.

   2025 July 13, Ian Sample, “Scientists detect biggest ever merger of two massive black holes”, in The Guardian, →ISSN

   Synonyms: GW

2. datedproscribedA gravity wave.

   In the used model sound waves and external gravitational waves have been filtered; combined inertial-internal gravitational waves, however, are still included in the equations.

   1959, K. Hinkelmann, “Ein numerisches Experiment mit den primitiven Gleichungen”, in Bert Bolin, editor, The Atmosphere and the Sea in Motion: Scientific Contributions to the Rossby Memorial Volume, New York, N.Y.: The Rockefeller Institute Press in association with Oxford University Press, →OCLC, abstract, page 486

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   These layers also permit visual observation of the well-known "gravitational waves," which were suggested by Helmholtz and have been investigated theoretically at some length. It is frequently suggested that these atmospheric waves may be connected with signal fading.

   1951, Donald E. Kerr, editor, Propagation of Short Radio Waves [IEE Electromagnetic Waves Series; 24], London: Peter Peregrinus Ltd on behalf of The Institution of Electrical Engineers, →ISBN, page 346

   It is difficult to see whether a sufficient amount of energy is communicated to the sea by the air masses directly in the form of compressional waves or it is transmitted or increased by the action of gravitational waves.

   1953, J[ohan] G[erard Jozef] Scholte, “On Theories of the Origin of Microseisms”, in James T. Wilson, editor, Symposium on Microseisms: Held at Arden House Harriman N.Y. 4–6 September 1952 [Publication (National Research Council); 306], Washington, D.C.: National Academy of Sciences, National Research Council, →OCLC, page 124