Gravity Wave Lab
Model a chirp
through detector noise.
This lab is separate from the CERN pages. It teaches the basic logic of an interferometer, a source chirp, and why detector noise can hide a real signal.
Instrument console
Interferometer, waveform, and controls in one loop.
Heavy binaries make a stronger, lower-pitched chirp that rises quickly near merger.
This schematic emphasizes beam splitting, arm imbalance, and recombination without requiring WebGL.
About the source
Heavier systems create a lower and stronger sweep before the signal rushes toward merger.
About the detector
The chirp is present, but detector noise and limited sensitivity are still competing with it.
Next step
Compare two source presets. The easiest way to understand chirps is to hear and see how mass changes the sweep.
The displayed waveform is amplitude-scaled and frequency-compressed for readability. The physical frequency and strain readouts preserve the modeled relationships, while the chart stays inspectable on screen.
Preset sources
What anchors the selected signal preset.
- 01
LIGO gravitational-wave basics
https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/MIT/page/gravitational-wavesOfficial LIGO outreach material explaining what gravitational waves are and how the observatory studies them.
- 02
LIGO GW150914 press release
https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/MIT/page/press-release-gw150914Official release used for the first directly observed gravitational-wave event from a binary black-hole merger.
- 03
GWOSC event catalog
https://gwosc.org/eventapi/html/GWTC/Official Gravitational Wave Open Science Center catalog used to distinguish simplified presets from research-grade event data.
Guided tour
Continue the learning path
A four-step arc: follow the beam, see the aftermath, compare with spacetime signals, then test your intuition.
- 01 · Visited
Follow the beam
Start with the injector chain so the rest of the site follows a physical sequence.
Open - 02 · Visited
See the collision aftermath
See which detectors catch which particles after a collision.
Open - 03 · You are here
Compare with spacetime signals
Switch to gravitational waves: tune mass, distance, and noise to find the signal.
Open - 04 · Next
Test your intuition
Short quizzes on accelerator ordering, detector choice, and signal tuning.
Open