In landmark move, India gives nod to LIGO observatory in Maharashtra to study gravitational waves

The Indian government gave a go-ahead to Rs 2,600-crore project on Thursday for setting up a Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory-India (LIGO-India) in the Aundha area of Hingol district in Maharashtra.

The observatory is being designed to detect gravitational waves, which are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by the acceleration of massive objects, such as plants and stars.

The first detection of gravitational waves was made by US-based LIGO on September 14, 2015. LIGO has detected numerous other gravitational waves. These detections have confirmed some of the predictions of Einstein's theory of general relativity and provided a new way to study the universe.

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LIGO-India will be located about 450km east of Mumbai. The set-up is expected to be completed by 2030.

Union Space and Technology Minister Jitendra Singh said LIGO-Indiawillaid in a more thorough knowledge of gravitational waves as well as other celestial phenomena like neutron stars and black holes.

174 acres of land have been been acquiredfor LIGO-India. Theproject has alsoreceived environmental approval, and a geotechnical survey has been completed. An empowered board will be established to oversee the project.

A landmark moment for India

This is the first-ever cutting-edge facility of this size beingconstructed in India.One such facility that has been planned in India, the Neutrino Observatory, has had difficulties. So, LIGO-Indiais essential for proving India's mightto takedifficult scientific initiatives independently.

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Collaboration with US LIGO observatories

In the US, there are already two such LIGO observatories. The third such cutting-edge gravitational-wave observatory will be LIGO-India. A group of Indian research institutes and the LIGO Laboratory in the United States, together with its worldwide collaborators, are planning to work together on the project. Key lab components worth $80 million, or Rs 560 crore, would be supplied by the US.

In February 2016, the government granted in-principle clearance to LIGO-India. Since then, the project has accomplished a number of significant milestones on the way to choosing andacquiring the land for theobservatory.

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The Department of Atomic Energy and the Department of Science and Technology will construct the LIGO-India project with the help of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the National Science Foundation, US, as well as other national and international research and academic institutes. A UGC independent body will assist with the project as well. Components for the project will be provided by Indian businesses. In order to maximise the scientific yield, LIGO-India will be controlled and maintained scientifically in conjunction with the US LIGO detectors once it is operational.