Geophysical studies with laser-beam detectors of gravitational waves

TL;DR

Laser-beam gravitational wave detectors can be repurposed for geophysical monitoring, enabling detection of Earth's internal oscillations and deformations by analyzing low-frequency signals in their control systems.

Contribution

This paper proposes utilizing existing gravitational wave detectors for geophysical studies, identifying necessary modifications and demonstrating their potential to observe Earth's internal dynamics.

Findings

Control systems can record Earth's deformation and gravity deviations.

Modest optical scheme modifications enable angular information access.

Environmental and instrumental noise levels are manageable for geophysical signals.

Abstract

The existing high technology laser-beam detectors of gravitational waves may find very useful applications in an unexpected area - geophysics. To make possible the detection of weak gravitational waves in the region of high frequencies of astrophysical interest, ~ 30 - 10^3 Hz, control systems of laser interferometers must permanently monitor, record and compensate much larger external interventions that take place in the region of low frequencies of geophysical interest, ~ 10^{-5} - 3 X 10^{-3} Hz. Such phenomena as tidal perturbations of land and gravity, normal mode oscillations of Earth, oscillations of the inner core of Earth, etc. will inevitably affect the performance of the interferometers and, therefore, the information about them will be stored in the data of control systems. We specifically identify the low-frequency information contained in distances between the interferometer mirrors (deformation of Earth) and angles between the mirrors' suspensions (deviations of local gravity vectors and plumb lines). We show that the access to the angular information may require some modest amendments to the optical scheme of the interferometers, and we suggest the ways of doing that. The detailed evaluation of environmental and instrumental noises indicates that they will not prevent, even if only marginally, the detection of interesting geophysical phenomena. Gravitational-wave instruments seem to be capable of reaching, as a by-product of their continuous operation, very ambitious geophysical goals, such as observation of the Earth's inner core oscillations.