Introduction to Gravitational Waves - Lecture 1

Learn about gravitational waves in this introductory lecture that explores one of physics' most significant discoveries - the experimental detection of gravitational waves from merging black holes and neutron stars. Delve into the fundamental concepts of gravitational wave sources, from astrophysical phenomena to cosmological events like inflation, primordial black holes, and phase transitions. Examine how gravitational waves serve as a unique probe into physics beyond the Standard Model and their potential to reveal modifications to general relativity. Understand the significance of recent discoveries by collaborations like NANO-Grav and InPTA, who have announced the first evidence of Stochastic Gravitational Wave Background detection based on 15 years of observational data. Explore the wide range of amplitudes and frequencies associated with various gravitational wave sources and their implications for understanding high-scale physics that may be unreachable through conventional terrestrial experiments.