A large number of exoplanets were found with the help of LIGO (the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory). LIGO is quite good, but a significant issue stemmed from the fact that the instrument has to focus on ignoring a large amount of background noise and vibrations which take place on earth.
The success of the instrument has prompted researchers to work on a new device which should be able to bypass it from the start. The result is A new detector could track down interesting exoplanets(also known as the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) which will have the same capability of detecting gravitational waves as LIGO.
Unlike LIGO, it will be placed in space, a move which should make it immune to any vibrations which are found on Earth. The first batch of tests infers that the idea is viable.
It is estimated that LISA will be operational in the 2030s, but astronomers and scientists are already looking forward to objects which could be found with the help of the innovative instrument.
A new detector could track down exciting exoplanets
A duo of researchers believes that LISA could play a vital role in the identification of a specific type of planet: massive planets which tend to orbit around pairs of white dwarfs stars. It is well-known that gravitational waves will tend to appear when two objects with mass will interact. They are hard to detect when the objects aren’t big and close to each other.
LIGO can detect objects like neutron stars and black holes, which are very dense and have a mass which is on par with that of the sun or even more significant.
The enhanced sensitivity mechanisms will allow LISA to track down objects which are dense but smaller.
One of the best possibilities is a white dwarf star, which appears after sun-like leads consume most of its fuel without reaching a supernova state. Binary systems which contain white dwarfs generate gravitational waves which are invisible to LIGO but could be found by LISA.
