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Effect of dispersion on the expected ELF signal in a precision quantum sensor. A schematic of the production, propagation and detection of an ELF wave packet (shown in red). A BBH fusion (left) emits an explosion of ELF and gravitational waves. When the ELF burst propagates with the group velocity vg ≲ c to the detector (right), it lags behind the emitted gravitational waves, which propagate in c. As the more energetic ELF components propagate faster, the detected ELF wave packet exhibits a characteristic frequency chirp, represented by the wave packet shown on the right. Credit: Nature Astronomy (2020). DOI: 10.1038 / s41550-020-01242-7
A team of physicists from the United States, Poland and Germany proposes to use quantum sensor networks such as the atomic clocks of the GPS network or sensors of the Gnome collaboration (a network of shielded atomic magnetometers consisting of 13 stations strategically placed on four continents, each of which is equipped with a magnetometer with sub-picotesla sensitivity) to detect exotic ultralight fields (ELD). In their article published in the journal Nature Astronomy, the group describes theoretical calculations to predict the types of signals that might constitute ELD and how they might be detected.
In recent years, multi-messenger astronomy has emerged as a means of studying the signals of certain astrophysical events such as the merger of black holes, which release energy in the form of signals that travel through the vastness of space. Multi-messaging astronomy involves focusing different types of telescopes and sensors in the same spot to detect the different types of signals produced by the same event.
Researchers with this new effort note that physicists have many questions about such signals, one of which is whether the theories regarding exotic light quantum fields hold true. They note that for such theories to gain credibility, physical evidence must be found. To that end, they suggest that quantum sensor networks could likely do the job. They show that existing sensors may be powerful enough to detect ELDs. They also suggest that ELDs produced by astrophysical events could be detected by existing sensors used for other applications. Their math suggests that the speeds and distances of gravitational wave sources, their delays, and signal amplitudes could be of the kind that existing systems such as the atomic clocks of the GPS network or the Gnome network could detect. Therefore, they also suggest that such systems could function as ELF telescopes with the ability to detect a wide variety of ELD bursts.
Detection of the “lens” of gravitational waves could be far off
Conner Dailey et al. Quantum sensor networks as exotic field telescopes for multi-messenger astronomy, Nature Astronomy (2020). DOI: 10.1038 / s41550-020-01242-7
© 2020 Science X Network
Quote: Physicists Propose Using GPS Network Atomic Clocks to Detect Exotic Ultralight Fields (2020, November 10) Retrieved November 10, 2020 from https://phys.org/news/2020-11-physicists-atomic-clocks-gps- network.html
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