Gravitational waves are generated by a variety of astrophysical events, including the birth of stars. However, detecting gravitational waves specifically from the birth of stars is challenging due to the relatively low amplitude and frequency of these waves compared to other sources.
When a star forms, it typically undergoes a process called gravitational collapse, where a massive cloud of gas and dust collapses under its own gravity to form a dense core. This core eventually becomes a protostar, which further evolves into a main-sequence star. During this collapse and subsequent evolution, gravitational waves can be generated.
However, the gravitational waves produced during stellar formation have frequencies and amplitudes that are difficult to detect with current gravitational wave detectors such as LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory) and Virgo. These detectors are most sensitive to gravitational waves in the frequency range of a few tens to a few thousand Hertz.
The gravitational waves produced during stellar birth have lower frequencies, typically in the millihertz to microhertz range. Detecting such low-frequency waves requires space-based gravitational wave detectors like LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna), which is planned to be launched in the 2030s. LISA is specifically designed to detect low-frequency gravitational waves, including those generated by stellar formation.
Therefore, while it is theoretically possible to detect gravitational waves from the birth of stars, current ground-based detectors are not optimized for this purpose. Future space-based detectors like LISA will provide a better chance of observing these waves and studying the astrophysical processes associated with stellar formation.