AccessScience > Search

Search Results: LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory)

LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory)

A physics research facility developed to detect cosmic gravitational waves and to measure these waves for scientific research. It consists of two...

= Encyclopedia Article;

= Research Update

View Large | Add to 'My Saved Images'

Figure 1.Experimental setup of LIGO. The interferometric gravitational-wave detector is an equal-arm Michelson laser interferometer whose hanging mirrors serve as gravitational test masses. Beam paths and all optics are enclosed in a high-vacuum system. Each 4-km-long (2.5-mi) arm contains a resonant optical cavity in which each photon, on average, makes about 50 round trips before recombining with photons from the other arm of the beam splitter. The interference is measured with a photodetector, which is sensitive enough to detect phase shifts to a few times 10-10 of an interference fringe, such as might be produced by a passing gravitational wave.

From Encyclopedia article 'LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory)'

View Large | Add to 'My Saved Images'

Figure 2.Aerial photograph of the LIGO at Hanford, Washington. This facility houses two interferometers (a nearly identical facility, with a single interferometer, is in Livingston, Louisiana). The lasers and optics are contained in the white buildings; the 4-km-long (2.5-mi) vacuum tubes are covered by the arched concrete enclosure.

From Encyclopedia article 'LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory)'

Browse Topics:

Get AccessScience
Subscriptions
Request a Trial

Your IP address is 67.202.9.192