China-led gravitational wave venture seeks global talent

A computer simulation shows how our Sun and Earth warp space and time, or spacetime, represented here with a green grid in this image released in Washington on Feb 11, 2016. [Photo/Agencies]

A China-led space gravitational wave detection project is recruiting researchers from around the world, chinanews.com reported.

The Tianqin project was initiated by Sun Yat-sen University in Zhuhai, South China's Guangdong province, in July. It centers on research of key technologies in space gravitational wave detection.

To make the project more competitive, global talents in areas such as gravity theory, space gravity experiments and precision measurement are sought with an annual salary of up to 1 million yuan ($153,000), according to the report.

The detection of gravitational waves is a huge challenge, said Luo Jun, president of Sun Yat-sen University and head of the Tianqin project, adding that the project is a feasible plan and reflects the research capacity of China.

The 15-billion-yuan project aims to send wave-detection satellites into space in 15 to 20 years with construction of a research center and observatory to be started soon.

Researchers will likely cooperate with counterparts from the European Space Agency's LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) Project, a gravitational wave observation plan initially co-developed by NASA and ESA in 2011.

Gravitational waves are tiny ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by violent astronomical events.

On Feb 11, scientists from the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory in the US confirmed that they had detected gravitational waves caused by two black holes merging about 1.3 billion years ago. It was the first time the elusive phenomenon was directly detected since it was predicted by Albert Einstein 100 years ago.

The detection of gravitational waves is believed to help scientists understand more mysteries of the cosmos.