Gravitational waves permanently change spacetime, say astroboffins

[steve2470]

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2017/05/22/gravitational_waves_permanently_change_spacetime/

A team of physicists has proposed a new idea about gravitational waves that will allow other researchers to find more exotic objects in space.

Gravitational waves, which were predicted by Einstein’s Theory of General Relativity, were finally detected in September 2015. These waves are produced as objects in space accelerate and move, leaving behind a ripple of energy that travels through spacetime.

The signals left over allow researchers to piece together information behind the source of the emissions. So far, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) has only detected particularly violent events, such as the merging of black holes.

But the new concept called “orphan memory” proposed by a group of researchers from the Monash University and the Australian Research Centre of Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery, Australia, predicts that more unusual events can be found too.