Inscription.
These solid aluminum cylinders were the cores of gravitational-wave "bar" detectors invented, built and operated by Physics Professor Joseph Weber (1919-2000) beginning in the 1960s and continuing through the rest of his career. Each bar was hung horizontally by cable at its middle, leaving the ends free to vibrate. Electromechanical sensors were attached to the bars to pick up the tiny oscillations that would be induced by passing gravitational waves emitted from astrophysical objects in the universe, as predicted by Einstein's general theory of relativity. Weber operated his detectors at various locations on the University of Maryland campus and elsewhere. His visionary efforts led to the birth of a new field of research, which eventually came to fruition with the direct detection of gravitational waves by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) in 2015. Weber's early work on microwave amplification also helped lead to the development of the laser.
Erected by University of Maryland - College Park.
Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Education • Science & Medicine. A significant historical year for this entry is 2015.
Location. 38° 59.445′ N,
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76° 56.492′ W. Marker is in College Park, Maryland, in Prince George's County. It is on Stadium Drive west of Regents Drive, on the right when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 4296 Stadium Dr, College Park MD 20742, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Regionally, this marker is in the Washington Metropolitan Area. It is also in the American South, specifically in the Upper South, in the Mid-Atlantic, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies and also the Antebellum South.
Credits. This page was last revised on December 12, 2023. It was originally submitted on February 6, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia. This page has been viewed 163 times since then and 28 times this year. Photos:1, 2. submitted on February 6, 2023, by Devry Becker Jones of Washington, District of Columbia.
