Research

Gravitational waves are ripples propagating through space-time. Unlike optical-infrared telescopes like the Subaru Telescope or radio telescopes like ALMA, which capture electromagnetic waves (oscillations in the electromagnetic field), KAGRA detects gravitational waves—distortions in space-time transmitted as waves. Its detection principle is fundamentally different from that of electromagnetic telescopes.

KAGRA uses a technique called laser interferometry. It detects the stretching and squeezing of space caused by gravitational waves by observing interference patterns between laser beams propagated along perpendicular paths. To increase sensitivity, KAGRA requires not only long baseline arms but also high-power laser sources, large-aperture and ultralow-loss mirrors, and ultrahigh-vacuum equipment. KAGRA incorporates a variety of cutting-edge technologies to achieve these goals. We are preparing to lead the upcoming era of gravitational wave astronomy.

The coalescence of binary neutron stars (BNS) is one of the key sources of gravitational waves. This astrophysical phenomenon can also be observed through electromagnetic signals such as gamma rays, optical light, infrared, and radio waves. KAGRA actively seeks collaboration with observatories beyond gravitational wave detectors, including the Subaru Telescope.