Ondas gravitatorias

Abstract

The following article provides an elementary introduction to the phenomena of gravitational waves. It does not requires a prior knowledge of the theory of General Relativity. The article starts with an elementary introduction to Einstein's theory of gravity. Along these lines, gravitational waves are introduced as an effect of the propagation of perturbations of spacetime. These perturbations give rise to variations in the tidal forces. Gravitational waves differ from their electromagnetic counterparts in several ways: they are non-linear and require certain asymmetry in the sources in order to be produced ---there are for example, no spherical gravitational waves---. Gravitational waves provide a very peculiar information about the sources. Thus, a great deal of effort has been invested in order to detect them. It is to be expected that the first detections will take place within the next ten years, and that they will open a new window for Astronomy.