How Is the Energy of Gravitational Waves Calculated? 

Calculating the energy of gravitational waves is a highly complex process that involves the use of general relativity and the quadrupole formula. 

We all know about general relativity, the global theory introduced by Albert Einstein, which revolutionized the field of physics and provided a new direction for understanding the universe. 

The quadrupole formula, based on Einstein's general relativity, was developed in the mid-20th century by renowned physicists Richard P. Feynman and Jacob Bekenstein. 

This formula helps us understand how changes in the distribution of mass in space-time generate gravitational waves and how much energy these waves carry as they propagate. 

It's called the quadrupole formula because it examines changes in the "quadrupole moment" of the mass distribution. 

While electromagnetic waves are produced as dipole radiation, gravitational waves are generated as quadrupole radiation. 

The quadrupole formula explains how disturbances in space-time are created by dynamic systems, and how these disturbances radiate energy in the form of gravitational waves. 

Using this formula, one can estimate the amount of energy emitted as gravitational waves from a particular astronomical event. 

Understanding and performing calculations with the quadrupole formula is extremely challenging, requiring deep knowledge of both physics and mathematics.