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Review
. 2000;3(1):3.
doi: 10.12942/lrr-2000-3. Epub 2000 Jun 29.

Gravitational Wave Detection by Interferometry (Ground and Space)

Sheila Rowan  1 , Jim Hough  2
Affiliations
Review

Gravitational Wave Detection by Interferometry (Ground and Space)

Sheila Rowan et al. Living Rev Relativ. 2000.

Abstract

Significant progress has been made in recent years on the development of gravitational wave detectors. Sources such as coalescing compact binary systems, low-mass X-ray binaries, stellar collapses and pulsars are all possible candidates for detection. The most promising design of gravitational wave detector uses test masses a long distance apart and freely suspended as pendulums on Earth or in drag-free craft in space. The main theme of this review is a discussion of the mechanical and optical principles used in the various long baseline systems being built around the world - LIGO (USA), VIRGO (Italy/France), TAMA 300 (Japan) and GEO 600 (Germany/UK) - and in LISA, a proposed space-borne interferometer.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Some possible sources for ground based and space-borne detectors.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic of gravitational wave detector using laser interferometry.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Proposed sensitivity for the LIGO 1 and planned LIGO 2 detectors.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Schematic view of one suspension system for use in the GEO 600 interferometer.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Prototype ‘monolithic’ fused silica test mass suspension. The mass (3 kg) here is of 12.5 cm diameter. Note final suspension will use four fibres.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Michelson interferometers with (a) delay lines and (b) Fabry-Perot cavities in the arms of the interferometer.
Figure 7
Figure 7
The implementation of power and signal recycling on the two interferometers shown in the previous figure, Fig. 6.
Figure 8
Figure 8
The 10 m prototype gravitational wave detector at Glasgow.
Figure 9
Figure 9
A bird’s eye view of the LIGO detector, sited in Hanford, Washington State.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Sensitivity curves for VIRGO showing the total contribution of the important noise sources. The signal levels expected from a number of pulsars after six months of integration are shown as are signal levels from some compact binary systems of different mass and at different distances.
Figure 11
Figure 11
Noise contributions to the expected sensitivity of the LIGO 2 interferometer.
Figure 12
Figure 12
The proposed LISA detector.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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