Welcome back to Asia in Science!
It’s quite fascinating how gravitational wave activity under our planet’s surface directly connotes extremely energetic and massive cosmic events; events that are powerful enough to cause ripples in the very fabric of space-time.
The Cosmos Underground: Japan’s KAGRA
To a mortal being, the universe is the very cosmos that encompasses itself. But what if we could listen to the universe’s deepest secrets of the seemingly solemn depths of our planet, Earth?
Since its predecessors in Italy and the U.S., the KAGRA detector has especially contributed to our knowledge of general relativity and cryogenics, unveiling entirely novel scientific information.
Conceptualized in the early 2000s, the Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector, KAGRA, was Japan’s answer to the global quest for gravitational wave detection. After its approval in 2010 by Japan’s Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science, and Technology (MEXT), KAGRA was built deep underground in the Kamioka mine, the same site as Japan’s neutrino observatory, Super-Kamiokande.
Taking another decade to officially begin operations, KAGRA stands as the world’s first underground and cryogenically-cooled gravitational wave detector. In February 2020, KAGRA participated in the detection of gravitational waves produced by a binary black hole merger alongside LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) and Virgo, marking the emergence of Japan's active role in gravitational wave astronomy.
Named after the traditional Japanese dance, "Kagura," the project symbolises the synergetic link between ancient cultural traditions and cutting-edge science in Japan. By technological standards, cryogenic advancements are considered trailblazing. The KAGRA by itself, with its use of cryogenic technology to cool its mirrors, and underground location to reduce thermal and seismic noise, is an innovative addition to the field.
Pioneering technologies, from its 3-kilometer-long arms to its location 200 meters beneath Mt. Ikenoyama, allow scientists to detect gravitational waves with higher precision, paving the way for more accurate cosmic observations. This herculean project is capable of detecting fainter signals regarding binary neutron star mergers, black hole formation events, and insights into mysterious dark matter.
Though its grand solo discovery is yet to come, KAGRA's unique design pushes forward the quest to understand the fundamental nature of space-time, energy, and matter, empowering it to play a key role in the future of multimessenger astronomy.
For this time’s blog, I was particularly interested in exploring a rather unconventional realm in STEM, hence the dive into cryogenics.
I hope you found today’s blog interesting and learnt something new. Thank you for reading my blog! Please stay curious and alert for new blogs on Asian scientific contributions and inventions.
-Mihika Singhania
Credits/Sources
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