Gravitational Wave Polarization — Ring of Test Masses

General relativity predicts that a passing gravitational wave leaves the coordinate positions of free-falling test masses unchanged, but rhythmically distorts the proper distances between them — the classic "ring of test masses" thought experiment used to visualize the two independent tensor polarizations of a gravitational wave. This simulator renders such a ring in 3D and drives its deformation with the real linearized-gravity formula, letting you dial a continuous polarization angle between the plus (+) and cross (×) patterns, adjust the (exaggerated) strain amplitude and frequency, and read off live values of h₊(t), h×(t), and the fractional arm-length change ΔL/L along two perpendicular axes — the same differential-length signal a laser interferometer detector measures.