LIGO: The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory

TL;DR

LIGO is a groundbreaking observatory designed to detect gravitational waves, enabling tests of general relativity and exploration of exotic astrophysical objects through highly sensitive interferometers.

Contribution

This paper introduces LIGO's design, operation, and unprecedented sensitivity, marking a significant advancement in gravitational wave detection technology.

Findings

LIGO's detectors operate at their design sensitivity.

Detection of gravitational waves is now feasible with strains smaller than 1 part in 10^21.

LIGO's data analysis aims to identify or constrain astrophysical gravitational wave sources.

Abstract

The goal of the Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is to detect and study gravitational waves of astrophysical origin. Direct detection of gravitational waves holds the promise of testing general relativity in the strong-field regime, of providing a new probe of exotic objects such as black hole and neutron stars, and of uncovering unanticipated new astrophysics. LIGO, a joint Caltech-MIT project supported by the National Science Foundation, operates three multi-kilometer interferometers at two widely separated sites in the United States. These detectors are the result of decades of worldwide technology development, design, construction, and commissioning. They are now operating at their design sensitivity, and are sensitive to gravitational wave strains smaller than 1 part in 1E21. With this unprecedented sensitivity, the data are being analyzed to detect or place limits on gravitational waves from a variety of potential astrophysical sources.