EVO: Remote Participation Technology for LIGO and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration

California Institute Of Technology, Pasadena CA

Investigators

Abstract

The search for gravitational waves from astrophysical sources will be refined through the vigorous work of hundreds of scientists from around the world as part of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC). Working along side their European colleagues, data from both the LIGO and VIRGO interferometers is being analyzed in the search for these first signals. The search for gravitational waves has become a worldwide effort. It is expected that scientists will be in constant communications with each other as they engage in numerous working meetings to be scheduled regularly in the United States and Europe. A concerted effort is being made to provide an effective means for remote participation in meetings and other collaboration activities within the LSC without actually having to travel to the physical location. As technology for conducting high quality teleconferencing, the Enabling Virtual Organizations (EVO) service will continue to be used and improved upon, leveraging its original development for use in the high energy physics collaborations around the world and improving its value to high energy physics and to other large and small collaborations. The use of EVO for audio and video teleconferencing is becoming a substantial enabling technology around the world for the LSC. Support and continued development of remote participation technology will be contributed to the EVO architectural framework by activities carried forward by this award. Effective and beneficial use of the EVO services will be assured for the LSC through the addition of new members to the EVO development team. EVO software and network development, as well as LIGO/LSC user support, will be advanced using guidance that will be provided by LIGO and the LSC collaborators. Small groups, students, those with limited travel funds and others with difficulty travelling will be enfranchised to fully participate in important discussions and presentations by providing remote access to LSC meetings and events. Strong international relationships will be promoted by lowering the barriers for bringing together scientists and their work from around the world.