Re:Black holes and neutron stars merge unseen in dense star ...
by ncmncm on Tuesday May 19, 2020 @04:18PM
(#23239660)
Not only can, but do.
The intergalactic medium (IGM) is very diffuse, but not pure vacuum. The difference in arrival time of light and gravitational waves from an event billions of light years distant could help measure the density of the IGM.
Incidentally, while it is very cold, the IGM is plasma, so obeys plasma fluid-dynamic laws, which is why the clouds seen at the ends of Active Galactic Nucleus jets, millions of light years across, can be visibly turbulent.
The intergalactic medium (IGM) is very diffuse, but not pure vacuum. The difference in arrival time of light and gravitational waves from an event billions of light years distant could help measure the density of the IGM.
Incidentally, while it is very cold, the IGM is plasma, so obeys plasma fluid-dynamic laws, which is why the clouds seen at the ends of Active Galactic Nucleus jets, millions of light years across, can be visibly turbulent.