A common misconception about LIGO detectors of gravitational waves

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Abstract

A common misconception about laser interferometric detectors of gravitational waves purports that, because the wavelength of laser light and the length of an interferometer's arm are both stretched by a gravitational wave, no effect should be visible, invoking an analogy with cosmological redshift in an expanding universe. The issue is clarified with the help of a direct calculation.

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Is Open Access

Gauge invariance and the detection of gravitational radiation

David Garfinkle (2005)

The detection of gravitational radiation raises some subtle issues having to do with the coordinate invariance of general relativity. This paper explains these issues and their resolution by using an analogy with the Aharonov-Bohm effect of quantum mechanics.