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From: gjphw@ihuxm.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.space
Subject: Re: gravity waves
Message-ID: <690@ihuxm.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 9-Nov-83 15:14:10 EST
Article-I.D.: ihuxm.690
Posted: Wed Nov  9 15:14:10 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 11-Nov-83 01:55:35 EST
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Naperville, Il
Lines: 26



  This brief note is an attempt to clarify a minor error in the NY Times
article quoted by R. Goldman.  It is a reflection on the intended audience
for the original article.
  
>   Einstein's general theory of relativity predicts the existence of
> gravity waves, but....

  The instructor for my general relativity course claimed that Einstein's
unadulterated theory does not permit gravity waves.  As originally formulated,
general relativity is a nonlinear theory which does not permit waves to
travel far from the source.  A linearized version of general relativity, which
is also easier to work with, does allow gravity waves.
  These comments were made in light of the claims by J. Weber that he had
detected gravity waves.  Einstein's full theory does not permit the generation
of gravity waves, so Weber's observations were considered very interesting.
Since then (1978), other experimenters have constructed equipment similar to
Webers in an attempt to repeat his findings, but none of the other trials have
detected gravity waves.
-- 

                                    Patrick Wyant
                                    AT&T Bell Laboratories (Naperville, IL)
                                    *!ihuxm!gjphw