RUI: Proposal to Conduct Selected Searches and for Gravitational Wave Bursts and Young's Modulus Measurements of LIGO Mirror's Coatings.

Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach FL

Investigators

Abstract

This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5). This award supports the PI's group to (I) work on searches for unmodeled bursts of gravitational waves in the incoming LIGO science run and (II) set up an acoustic experiment to measure the Young's modulus of LIGO mirrors' coating. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is comprised of a three instrument network with the goal of detecting tiny perturbations in the geometry of space-time. These are expected to be generated by violent astrophysical events. The new LIGO data recording ("science run") in 2009-2010, coordinated with the French-Italian VIRGO detector, will record the most sensitive data yet to be searched for gravitational wave signals. After this science run LIGO will move to a more sensitive configuration, Advanced LIGO, that is expected to detect GW waves on a regular basis. At present, the value of the Young's modulus of the coatings on the LIGO mirrors is probably the least known parameter determining Advanced LIGO reach. All the research supported by this grant will be performed with undergraduate students whose career formation is a high priority for the PI and the physics department at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. The PI's efforts to promote science within the community and the region are also ongoing through public lectures and interviews with local media.