Sources and technology for an atomic gravitational wave interferometric sensor

TL;DR

This paper explores the potential of atom interferometers as gravitational wave detectors in the mHz-Hz range, proposing an optimized design with enhanced sensitivity and discussing possible sources and detection capabilities.

Contribution

It introduces an optimized atomic gravitational wave interferometric sensor (AGIS) with a sensitivity scaling as the baseline length to the power of 5/2, advancing the design of gravitational wave detectors.

Findings

AGIS sensitivity scales with baseline length to the 5/2 power.

Potential to detect supernova precursors within 500 pc 200 years early.

Feasibility of detecting gravitational waves from specific binary systems.

Abstract

We study the use of atom interferometers as detectors for gravitational waves in the mHz - Hz frequency band, which is complementary to planned optical interferometers, such as laser interferometer gravitational wave observatories (LIGOs) and the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA). We describe an optimized atomic gravitational wave interferometric sensor (AGIS), whose sensitivity is proportional to the baseline length to power of 5/2, as opposed to the linear scaling of a more conservative design. Technical challenges are briefly discussed, as is a table-top demonstrator AGIS that is presently under construction at Berkeley. We study a range of potential sources of gravitational waves visible to AGIS, including galactic and extra-galactic binaries. Based on the predicted shot noise limited performance, AGIS should be capable of detecting type Ia supernovae precursors within 500 pc, up to 200 years beforehand. An optimized detector may be capable of detecting waves from RX J0806.3+1527.