The New Era in Gravitational Wave Searches Has Begun

ORAL

Abstract

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO) has just finished taking data for its first long observing run at design sensitivity. It had a sensitivity that was one to two orders of magnitude better that the best previous searches. There is a full year of coincident data with 3 LIGO detectors, and 4 months of 4 detector coincident data, when the VIRGO interferometer agreed to join in a grand world-wide collaboration. Analysis of the new data is proceeding at a rapid pace, and we hope soon to learn if there is positive or negative evidence for waves at this new level of sensitivity. In any case, two stages of detector upgrades are underway or planned, and prospects seem bright for the eventual commencement of gravitational wave astronomy.

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Authors

  • Rebecca Scott

    UCSB, LBNL, NCSU, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Wright State University, Department of Physics, The University of Memphis, TN 38152, North Carolina State University, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Raleigh, NC, Clemson University, Fisk University, University of North Dakota (Grand Forks), Southern Illinois University, The University of Tennessee Space Institute, SC Governor's School for Science and Mathematics, Francis Marion University, University of North Alabama, Lousiana State University, Department of Physics, Dhaka University, Dhaka, Bangladesh, Head of Government Relations, American Physical Society, Vanderbilt University, Mississippi State University, Emory University, College of William and Mary, University of Tennessee Space Institute, Morehead State University