Search

In 2015, the first observation of gravitational waves marked a breakthrough in astrophysics and in technological research and development. The discovery of a gravitational-wave signal from the collision of two black holes, a billion light-years away, received considerable interest from the media and public. We describe the development of a purpose-built exhibit explaining this new area of research to a general audience. The core element of the exhibit is a working Michelson interferometer: a scaled-down version of the key technology used in gravitational-wave detectors. The Michelson interferometer is integrated into a hands-on exhibit, which allows for user interaction and simulated gravitational-wave observations. An interactive display provides a self-guided explanation of gravitational-wave related topics through video, animation, images, and text. We detail the hardware and software used to create the exhibit, and discuss two installation variants: An independent learning experience in a museum setting (the Thinktank Birmingham Science Museum) and a science-festival with the presence of expert guides (the 2017 Royal Society Summer Science Exhibition). We assess audience reception in these two settings, describe the improvements we have made given this information, and discuss future public-engagement projects resulting from this work. The exhibit is found to be effective in communicating the new and unfamiliar field of gravitational-wave research to general audiences. An accompanying website provides parts lists and information for others to build their own version of this exhibit.

Long-baseline observations of interplanetary scintillation (IPS) provide a unique source of information on solar wind speed and meridional direction across the inner regions of the solar system. We report the results of a series of coordinated IPS observations of an Earth-directed CME. A significant development in the interpretation of these data is the use of 3D tomographic reconstructions of solar wind structure derived from STELab IPS data to better constrain the analysis of extremely long baseline observations from EISCAT and MERLIN. The combination of these two approaches leads to a significantly better understanding of the interaction of the CME with the background solar wind than would be possible with either technique alone, revealing a significant rotation in the meridional flow direction of the background wind associated with the passage of the CME. The CME itself is decelerated significantly between its emergence through the corona and its arrival in the IPS ray path, with comparatively little change in speed from then until arrival at ACE.

Radiotomography provides observations of ionospheric electron density structure on horizontal scales of tens to hundreds of kilometres. Routine measurements over extended periods of time and geographic areas have the potential for parameterising the structure of the polar and auroral ionosphere. Averaged electron densities characteristic of different ionospheric features, locations, local times, Universal Times, seasons, geomagnetic activity and solar conditions can be compared with ionospheric models and used to test and develop the models. Tomographic images are presented of plasma structures characteristic of the polar and auroral ionosphere. Results from initial comparisons of the measurements with the Sheffield University Coupled Thermosphere-Ionosphere-Plasmasphere (CTIP) model are also discussed. General broad agreement is seen between the model and observations but discrepancies are also evident., See also ADM002065., The original document contains color images. RTO-MP-IST-056. 2006) Large-Scale Plasma Structure in the Polar and Auroral Ionosphere: Experimental Observations and Modelling. In Characterising the Ionosphere (pp. 15-1 15-10). Meeting Proceedings RTO-MP-IST-056, Paper 15. Neuilly-sur-Seine, France: RTO.