The Gravitational Wave Background

PI: Dr. Neil J. Cornish, Department of Physics, Montana State University

Our goal is to lay the theoretical foundations for a future mission to measure the gravitational waves produced during the formation of the universe. A successful measurement of this cosmic gravitational wave background would have a dramatic impact on cosmology. The Cosmic Gravitational wave Background (CGB) offers us an unobstructed view back to the very beginning of the universe, a fraction of a second after its birth. Measurements of the CGB would allow us to test competing models of the early universe and, thereby, the various theories of quantum gravity and particle physics on which the models are based. Unfortunately, the CGB is expected to be extraordinarily difficult to detect. Part of the difficulty lies in the inherent weakness of the signal, but the main difficulty lies in extracting the cosmic background from the stochastic background produced by astrophysical sources such as binary star systems.

We plan to characterize the spectrum of gravitational waves produced in various models of the early universe, and to compare these spectra to the competing signal from unresolved astrophysical sources. Using these results we will identify the best wavelength range and detection strategy for a future space mission to measure the CGB.

Mail:	Neil J. Cornish	E-mail:	cornish@physics.montana.edu
	Department of Physics	Phone:	(406) 994-7986
	Montana State University	FAX:	(406) 994-4452
	Bozeman, MT 59717-3840	Website:	Neil J. Cornish

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