idw – Informationsdienst Wissenschaft

Nachrichten, Termine, Experten

Grafik: idw-Logo
Science Video Project
idw-Abo

idw-News App:

AppStore

Google Play Store



Instanz:
Teilen: 
20.06.2014 10:53

The LZH develops a fiber amplifier for measuring gravitational waves in space

Lena Bennefeld Marketing & Communications
Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V.

    When the European Space Agency (ESA) sends the “3rd Large Mission” into space in 2034, its goal will be to detect gravitational waves. Scientists at the Laser Zentrum Hannover e. V. (LZH) have now begun to develop fiber amplifiers for the required lasers.

    The task of the Single-Frequency Laser Group of the LZH almost sounds trivial: The fiber amplifiers developed by this group should be used to post-amplify a special laser with a low output. However, the general framework of the project eLISA makes laser development a real challenge: The choice of optical components that can be used is highly limited.

    Challenge: Simple and fit for use in space
    „Since the availability of resources in space is very limited, the amplifier in planning must work very efficiently”, says the head of the group Dr. Peter Weßels, when addressing the task. “At the same time, the setup must be kept as simple as possible, so the laser can be qualified for use in space.”

    Detecting miniscule movements over enormous distances
    Despite the high limitations, the laser must provide high performance. The laser beam must travel over a distance of around one million kilometers between the mother satellite and both daughter satellites. Once it arrives, the beam is regenerated and sent back the same distance. The differences in the phase of the returning light can be used to conclude distance changes in space on the subatomic scale, the gravitational waves.

    The scientists working with Dr. Peter Weßels want to develop a so-called „Engineering Qualification Modell“ within the next three years. Such a model is not yet completely ready for use in space, but the setup and design is quite similar to the later model.

    Apart from the LZH, the Fundação Faculdade de Ciências da Universidade de Lisboa, Portugal, and the Czech Space Research Centre s.r.o., Czech Republic, are working on the development of the laser system for the eLISA mission. The developmental project is headed by the Portuguese company LusoSpace Lda.


    Weitere Informationen:

    https://www.elisascience.org/ - eLISA website
    https://www.elisascience.org/multimedia/image/elisa-spacecraft-two-laser-arms - illustration source


    Bilder

    In the project eLISA, a mother satellite sends laser beams to two daughter satellites. From the returning beams, gravitational waves should be calculated.
    In the project eLISA, a mother satellite sends laser beams to two daughter satellites. From the retu ...
    Illustration: AEI/MM/exozet.
    None


    Merkmale dieser Pressemitteilung:
    Journalisten, Wissenschaftler
    Physik / Astronomie
    überregional
    Forschungsprojekte
    Englisch


     

    In the project eLISA, a mother satellite sends laser beams to two daughter satellites. From the returning beams, gravitational waves should be calculated.


    Zum Download

    x

    Hilfe

    Die Suche / Erweiterte Suche im idw-Archiv
    Verknüpfungen

    Sie können Suchbegriffe mit und, oder und / oder nicht verknüpfen, z. B. Philo nicht logie.

    Klammern

    Verknüpfungen können Sie mit Klammern voneinander trennen, z. B. (Philo nicht logie) oder (Psycho und logie).

    Wortgruppen

    Zusammenhängende Worte werden als Wortgruppe gesucht, wenn Sie sie in Anführungsstriche setzen, z. B. „Bundesrepublik Deutschland“.

    Auswahlkriterien

    Die Erweiterte Suche können Sie auch nutzen, ohne Suchbegriffe einzugeben. Sie orientiert sich dann an den Kriterien, die Sie ausgewählt haben (z. B. nach dem Land oder dem Sachgebiet).

    Haben Sie in einer Kategorie kein Kriterium ausgewählt, wird die gesamte Kategorie durchsucht (z.B. alle Sachgebiete oder alle Länder).