Research in Gravitational Wave Detection with LIGO

Syracuse University, Syracuse NY

Investigators

Abstract

A new era in gravitational wave detection is about to begin, with the completion of the three interferometers of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory, or LIGO. The gravitational wave research group at Syracuse University intends to play a key role in LIGO's improvement and observing activities over the next three years. They will carry out detector characterization activities to guide this work, will strive to understand the data produced by the interferometers, and will help optimize methods for searching for gravitational waves. In support of these activities, they will devote their laboratory facilities at Syracuse to experiments that will investigate any anomalies that may be discovered in the instruments at the LIGO observatories. In addition, the group will develop a set of laboratory teaching stations, as the nucleus of a summer school for scientists new to the field of gravitational wave detection. Once LIGO is collecting the sort of data for which it was designed, we will be in a position where dramatic new discoveries about the universe are possible. The results of LIGO's initial data run could shed light on black holes, gamma ray bursts, neutron stars, and supernovae. The instruments carrying out these observations have dramatically extended the state of the art of precision measurement technology.