Dec
2017
31
The 40-year quest for the perfect alignment
Here is the impossible challenge that has been around for over 100 years: measure the change of a distance that is 1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a proton (0.8 10-15 m). Comparing that change of distance to the size of an oxygen atom (1.2 10-10 m) is akin to measuring 9 cm (a few inches) in relation to the diameter of the earth.
On February 11, 2016, scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) shocked the world by announcing they accomplished the impossible. LIGO was the largest and most ambitious project ever funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF).
Why does it matter?
Because by doing so, scientists proved the existence of gravitational waves, which was one of the predictions from the theory of general relativity formulated by Albert Einstein and published over a century ago, on November 25, 1915. The theory specifies that space and time are warping and ripples are created by the acceleration of massive objects in the cosmos. These waves travel throughout the universe at the speed of light and are called “gravitational waves”. In fact, Einstein was convinced it would never be possible to measure them.
The LIGO scientists registered gravitational waves that were caused by two black holes each about 30 times as massive as our sun, merging together over 1.3 billion years ago, which is consequent, given that the size of the known universe is about 13 billion light years. This observation was made by two LIGO detectors separated by about 2,500 miles: one in Hanford, Washington and the other in Livingston, Louisiana. Each detector consists of two “L” shaped 2.5 miles long arms that are perpendicular to each other. When gravitational waves hit the detector, one of the arm gets slightly elongated and the other slightly shorten. By measuring the different of lengths between the two arms (1,000 times smaller than the diameter of a proton), using lasers beams and interferometers, one can demonstrate the presence of gravitational waves.
David Reitze of the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), executive director of the LIGO Laboratory, explained that “LIGO is the most precise measuring device ever built.” The first signal of wave detection was observed on September 14, 2015. The two LIGO detectors registered the two signals 7 milliseconds apart. It took several months to make sure that the detection was valid and not polluted by any other earth movement or anomaly.
In 2017, very shortly after the announcement of the discovery, Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne received the Nobel Price in physics for “decisive contributions to the LIGO detector and the observation of gravitational waves.” It took them 40 years of patience, frustration and tenacity to accomplish that truly remarkable feat. Weiss of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology received half the price, and the other half was shared by Barish and Thorne of the California Institute of Technology.
It is the perfect alignment of the laser beams and complex mirror system through the interferometer that enabled the intricate LIGO detectors to work. This insane alignment is deeply challenged by noise coming from space and by the natural and unnatural movement of the earth and by a myriad of technical and engineering challenges. For example, it is critical to compensate for the movement of each 40 kg mirror when the laser beam hits it. The magnitude of the precision was almost inconceivable when the team started to work on it four decades ago. The entire project was facing thousands of complex challenges and it took 55 years and $1 billion to overcome them. LIGO is oozing with groundbreaking technology designed specifically for the experiment. It is most probably the most complex machine ever built, taking alignment to an extreme never seen before and making flying to the moon like a 5th grade project.
Fortunately, perfectly aligning a company with its market is a lot simpler. It does not require rocket scientists with multi-disciplinary skills and talents working together for decades. Alignment in the business world requires keen understanding of customers and what makes then tick and a large dose of common sense and can be implemented in a matter of months. Oh, by-the-way it does not require $1 billion either.