English

Gravitational Radiation

General Relativity and Quantum Cosmology 2009-10-31 v1

Abstract

Gravity is one of the fundamental forces of Nature, and it is the dominant force in most astronomical systems. In common with all other phenomena, gravity must obey the principles of special relativity. In particular, gravitational forces must not be transmitted or communicated faster than light. This means that when the gravitational field of an object changes, the changes ripple outwards through space and take a finite time to reach other objects. These ripples are called gravitational radiation or gravitational waves. This article gives a brief introduction to the physics of gravitational radiation, including technical material suitable for non-specialist scientists.

Keywords

Cite

@article{arxiv.gr-qc/0003069,
  title  = {Gravitational Radiation},
  author = {Bernard F Schutz},
  journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:gr-qc/0003069},
  year   = {2009}
}

Comments

Encyclopedia article, 2 figures, 14 pages. Accepted by Encycopedia of Astronomy and Astrophysics