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The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory designed to detect cosmic gravitational waves and to develop gravitational-wave observations as an astronomical tool. [1]
Adhikari has been involved in the construction and design of gravitational-wave detectors since 1997. [19] He started working on laser interferometers as a graduate student at MIT, with a particular focus on the variety of noise sources, feedback loops and subsystems, [20] [21] and helped to reduce the noise in all 3 of the LIGO interferometers while working on the Livingston interferometer.
A laser is divided into two beams by a beam splitter tilted by 45 degrees. The two beams propagate in the two perpendicular arms of the interferometer, are reflected by mirrors located at the end of the arms, and recombine on the beam splitter, generating interferences which are detected by a photodiode. An incoming gravitational wave changes ...
A schematic diagram of a laser interferometer. A gravitational-wave detector (used in a gravitational-wave observatory) is any device designed to measure tiny distortions of spacetime called gravitational waves. Since the 1960s, various kinds of gravitational-wave detectors have been built and constantly improved.
From 1987 to 1994 he served as the director and principal investigator of the Caltech-MIT Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory project, becoming a co-recipient of the 2016 Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics. [2] In 1992, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. [7]
Executive director, LIGO Laboratory; research professor of physics, California Institute of Technology; professor of physics, University of Florida David Howard Reitze (born 6 January 1961) is an American laser physicist who is professor of physics at the University of Florida and served as the scientific spokesman of the Laser Interferometer ...
The LSC was established in 1997, under the leadership of Barry Barish. [3] Its mission is to ensure equal scientific opportunity for individual participants and institutions by organizing research, publications, and all other scientific activities, and it includes scientists from both LIGO Laboratory and collaborating institutions.
Everhart was president of the California Institute of Technology from 1987 to 1997. [20] As Caltech's president, Everhart authorized the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) project, a large-scale experiment that seeks to detect gravitational waves and use them for fundamental research in physics and astronomy. [21]