What is Gravity waves: Definition and 95 Discussions

In fluid dynamics, gravity waves are waves generated in a fluid medium or at the interface between two media when the force of gravity or buoyancy tries to restore equilibrium. An example of such an interface is that between the atmosphere and the ocean, which gives rise to wind waves.
A gravity wave results when fluid is displaced from a position of equilibrium. The restoration of the fluid to equilibrium will produce a movement of the fluid back and forth, called a wave orbit. Gravity waves on an air–sea interface of the ocean are called surface gravity waves or surface waves, while gravity waves that are within the body of the water (such as between parts of different densities) are called internal waves. Wind-generated waves on the water surface are examples of gravity waves, as are tsunamis and ocean tides.
Wind-generated gravity waves on the free surface of the Earth's ponds, lakes, seas and oceans have a period of between 0.3 and 30 seconds (frequency between 3.3 Hz and 33 mHz). Shorter waves are also affected by surface tension and are called gravity–capillary waves and (if hardly influenced by gravity) capillary waves. Alternatively, so-called infragravity waves, which are due to subharmonic nonlinear wave interaction with the wind waves, have periods longer than the accompanying wind-generated waves.

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  1. B

    Do Quantum Particles Generate Gravity Waves?

    when anything moves it displaces space and generates gravity waves, So does this also happen at the quantum level? quarks giggering about due to uncertainty in there possition (at least I think that what uncertainty does acording to explanations in popular science books.) gluons zapping about...
  2. W

    Would gravity waves exhibit quantum properties?

    I was watching Fay Dowker's "Spacetime and the quantum: united by history" on Youtube, and a question occurred to me. She has the unique ability to combine enough detail with a popularized version to accurately portray some of the big, current issues facing physics. The question is...
  3. K

    Gravitational Waves: Slowed by Media?

    Are gravitational waves slowed by media? Electromagnetic waves are slowed when traveling through dielectric media because the electric field polarizes the media. If a gravitational wave travels through matter, then the matter shifts around, much like the dielectric, right?
  4. E

    Space expansion, gravity waves, warp

    If gravity waves are supposed to propagate at c, how could the theoretical warp drive wave propagate at greater than c values? I have heard and red and understand that space itself can expand (and warp? ) faster than c and, in fact, that will happen in the future when space in between...
  5. E

    Exploring the Mystery of Gravity Waves and Neutron Stars in Orbit

    If two spinning, neutron stars in a tight orbit lose energy by giving off gravity waves, why don't other objects in orbit do the same? I don't understand what makes the two neutron stars unique. Why wouldn't the moon and the Earth give off gravity waves as well? I also know that the moon is...
  6. S

    Dark energy from gravity waves?

    A new paper appeared on the arxiv today suggesting this possibility: http://uk.arxiv.org/abs/1305.0498 I would not have paid too much attention apart from the fact that when this was suggested a while back it was said it might explain some of the WMAp anomalies...
  7. S

    What Would Audible Gravity Waves Sound Like?

    Suppose that some process emits gravity waves which are in audible frequency AND are so extremely strong as to be converted into audible sound spontaneously - without any specialized detectors. What would they sound like? While the pitch is caused by the originating gravity waves, loudness...
  8. G

    Do gravity waves imply repulsive force component?

    If you consider empty space case (energy-momentum tensor is zero), the curvature of space is Ricci-flat but the Riemann tensor is not necessarily zero, which allows for gravity waves in empty space. It's not difficult to see that the waves would have to be transverse (analogous to EM waves)...
  9. C

    Gravity waves, how big are they?

    Hi, I was thinking about gravity waves and how big leading theorists believe they may be in size of wavelength? I saw a video where Steve Gerricks (sp?) of NIST in Colorado, shows how the NIST clocks are so accurate and at different elevations and in different geographic locations, so that he...
  10. C

    Question about gravity waves energy and momentum

    where in the Einstein field equations is the energy and momentum of the gravity waves themselves Rμγ- 1/2gμγ R = 0 doesn't mean the space is flat there are waves in the fabric of spacetime itself so how and where does the energy and momentum of these waves manifest itself Tμγ is the energy...
  11. C

    Gravity waves propagation in 3D Space

    Im a visual person, and I have a strong interest in Physics for some reason too. Im trying to picture how Gravitational waves would look not in Spacetime but in normal space. Are they like concentric rings surrounding the source? And how do they differ in shape when there are 2, 3 or more...
  12. D

    Deriving Group Velocity for Gravity Waves

    Homework Statement In a lab experiment about Gravity Waves and Dispersion, one of the preliminary questions is: Show that for gravity waves the group velocity is: C_{g} = \frac{C_{p}}{2}\sqrt{1 + \frac{2kh}{sinh(2kh)}} Homework Equations C_{g} = dω/dk ω = \sqrt{gktanh(kh)}...
  13. mrspeedybob

    Do Gravity Waves Influence Quantum Particles and Dark Matter?

    From my internet research I gather that they are very hard to detect but is that because the energy carried by the waves is so tiny or because it is hard to get that type of energy to interact with an instrument in a measurable way? Do gravity waves, as a form of energy, have their own...
  14. M

    Do Gravity Waves Exist? Understanding the Mechanics of Gravity Waves

    I can't really see how gravity waves work, I mean, how does a gravity wave attract mass and electromagnetism?
  15. C

    Do all gravity waves have the same frequency?

    Might one utilize hydrodynamic simulation to address the question of whether frequency scales with mass; and it's application to gravitational physics? For example, dropping a small versus large mass into a liquid, and in comparison to 10 mile diameter meteor impact in ocean. Amplitude would...
  16. C

    Possible angles for internal gravity wave propagation

    Homework Statement Internal gravity waves are generated along the coast of Norway by the principal lunar semidiurnal surface tide (known as the M2 tide) of period 12.42 h. If the stratification frequency N is 2 x 10-3rad s-1, at which possible angles can the energy propagate with respect to...
  17. T

    A question on Gravity Waves and Gravity Radiation

    Relativity predicts that the binary system will lose energy with time as orbital energy is converted to gravitational radiation. In 1983, Taylor and collaborators reported that there was a systematic shift in the observed time of periastron relative to that expected if the orbital separation...
  18. B

    Can black holes absorb gravity waves?

    From what I understand, black holes can generate gravity-waves in orbit with each other. But can they absorb them? Since gravity waves travel at the speed of light, I would think that they would not be able to escape BH gravitation. But since they are so massive and powerful, I wonder if they...
  19. N

    Do gravity waves experience doppler effect?

    Will gravity waves theoretically experience a doppler effect for bodies in relative motion to the source?
  20. A

    Are Gravity Waves Rare? Understanding the Elusive Phenomenon

    Are gravity waves rare? I don't I've ever seen them so any help will be good, thanks.
  21. A

    Detecting Gravity Waves: Seeking Answers

    HI, Can someone please tell me how gravity waves are detected. Please note that I am talking about gravity waves "not" gravitational waves they are two different things. Any help is appreciated. Thanks
  22. M

    Metrics on a manifold, gravity waves, gauge freedom

    Suppose I have a manifold. I say that it can support a certain configuration of gravity field described by metric tensor \gamma. I do not write \gamma_{\mu\nu}, because that would immediately imply a reference to a particular chart. A tensor field, however, exists on a manifold unrelated to this...
  23. A

    Geo600 search for gravity waves

    About a year ago there was some buzz about a background noise that scientist Craig Hogan interpreted as possible evidence of the texture of space and confirmation of the holographic principle. I believe later on the noise was explained as misadjustment of the machine. Anybody aware of the last...
  24. N

    Redshift/Blueshift of Gravity Waves Around a Black Hole

    First time poster and curious about how the shifting of gravity waves affects the curvature of space-time for observers in the vicinity of a black hole's event horizon. I'm making some assumptions based on my own research on the topic. Assumptions: 1. Gravity waves are traveling...
  25. C

    Detecting Gravity Waves Through Matter-Antimatter Collisions

    Is a gravity wave a disturbance in the field , could we maybe try and detect gravity waves by colliding matter and antimatter and seeing what that does to the field .
  26. E

    Gravity Waves: Speed & Possible Outcomes

    I heard somewhere that gravity behaves much like waves. That must mean that gravity has a speed, right? Does that mean that is the sun suddenly dissapeared, the planets in our solar system would continue to move in their previous orbits until the end of the waves reaches them? Then, if two...
  27. Z

    Einstein's Theory of Gravity Waves: Speed of Light

    On what basis did Einstein determine that gravity waves travel at the speed of light?
  28. S

    Gravity Waves and Superconductors (Raymond Chiao)

    Berkeley's Raymond Chiao has some interesting conjecture on gravity waves: http://www.technologyreview.com/blog/arxiv/23198/ According to him, it should be possible for a superconductor to reflect gravity waves like a mirror. This then leads to all sorts of interesting possibilities...
  29. wolram

    Gravity waves perpetual motion?

    I have tried to find out how gravitational radiation can be suppressed or decay, there may be some thing in the literature but i can not find it, also is it possible for gravity waves from different distances and times to merge?
  30. T

    Understanding Gravity Waves: Detected or Theoretical?

    can someone explain gravity waves to me? if gravity is only in the presence of mass then how can gravity waves propagate through space in the absence of the presence of mass? Have gravity waves been detected or proven or is it only theory so far?
  31. A

    Have the gravity waves been detected from the big bang?

    I watched an interesting programme a while ago about the atom, and amongst other things relativity was quite prominent in the programme. one of einstein's predictions was that we would be able to detect gravity waves rippling across space time from the big bang, and it cited a current experiment...
  32. P

    Would Gravity Waves Show Doppler Shift?

    Random question that I thought of while trying to fall asleep last night. :) We all know that galaxies moving very fast away from us exhibit visual redshift. If gravity waves / gravitons are real, they must then have a frequency of some kind. Does the frequency of a gravity wave affect...
  33. B

    Awe-Inspiring Gravity Waves: An Exploration

    i would love to witness something like this, i still don't quite understand what is happening tho haha http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gravity_wave
  34. C

    Gravity waves and a disapprearing sun.

    I was thinking of a scenario where the sun suddenly disappeared into thin space as if it were blinked out of existence. Aside from this being an absurd possibility, the more interesting question is how space around the sun would react to the giant loss of mass. Would it be correct in thinking...
  35. J

    How to discern something about gravity waves?

    I had an idea on how to possibly get some idea of what gravity waves are, I couldn't find confirmation data on google but to be honest I don't really care and only spent 15minutes looking for it, anyway here it is: If gravity waves are a particle of some sort on the electromagnetic spectrum...
  36. C

    Can gravity waves be focussed?

    Assuming LISA does find graviational waves in the future, is there any way in theory to focus these gravitational waves? I know that gravitational lensing of distant galaxies can focus their EM spectra as in the Abell clusters, but can this same gravitational lensing be achieved on gravity...
  37. daniel_i_l

    Proof of Gravity Waves Energy: Richard Feymann's Beads on a Rod

    I read that one of the most accepted proofs that gravity waves have energy is Richard Feymann's : imagine beads on a rod, gravity waves can move the beads creating friction and heat so they must have energy. Why does the heat creation make this such a great proof? Isn't it obvious that if...
  38. J

    Do gravity waves get bent by gravity?

    do gravity waves die under own gravity? do gravity waves get distorted passing gravitational sources? i assume they must do, but gravity itself does not. if so their calculations must get extremely complex extremely quickly when waves interact with each other AND gravity itself. if so, wouldn't...
  39. N

    Creating Gravity Waves: Research Progress

    Has any reaserch facility in the world developed a way to create gravity waves, sizable ones? Regards, Nenad
  40. A

    Exploring Gravity Waves: What Are They?

    What gravity waves? Considering Gravity is the warping of space, then how is gravitational waves possible? Aren't we all sliding down the slopes of space due to the massive warping of space by ojects? isn't space pushing us down? Then why is gravitational waves a topic? Thanks.
  41. marcus

    Gravity waves not seen on 2nd try (LIGO)

    Posted 6 May 2005 http://arxiv.org/abs/gr-qc/0505029 Upper limits on gravitational wave bursts in LIGO's second science run Authors: LIGO Scientific Collaboration 23 pages, 14 figures, to be submitted to Phys Rev D "We perform a search for gravitational wave bursts using data from...
  42. B

    Unveiling the Mysteries of Gravity Waves: Origins and Properties Explained"

    what are gravity waves? i am guessing that they are some kind of oscillations in the space-time "medium"? but gravity waves are not the normal carrier of the gravitational force? otherwise, because its an oscillation, the force wouldn't fall off with the square of the distance. so what...
  43. F

    Gravity Waves on the Moon & Finding Liquid Centers

    hi everyone :D i have two questions i have no idea what to do (teacher assigned them after watching a video, though i have no idea still what the video is talking about).. the questions is: 1. Would gravity waves in water be faster or slower on the moon? Explain. i would think that it's...
  44. Y

    Einstein's Quadrapole Model for Gravity Waves

    Einstein proposed a quadrapole model for gravity waves - but why? If we consider two particles of finite mass like an electron and positron that combine to convert all their mass energy to a pair of photons - - the distortion of space due the conversion of the gravitational mass to...
  45. S

    Greetings brane-collision heralded by intense gravity waves?

    I'm not a physicist but when I was a kid I started out college as a physics major and am familiar with most of the undergrad level maths- from what little I can glean from the math in some of these brane-collision models is that there would be a great deal of amplified localised gravity waves...
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