Thermal Noise and Pendulum Design for Gravitational Wave Interferometers

Saulson教授将启动一项研究计划， 关于力学的实验引力物理 热噪声 这一努力非常及时，因为 试验质量块的热噪声频谱将 可能是干涉测量灵敏度的极限 引力波探测器，如LIGO。 索尔森的研究计划将有三个主要领域， 着重 一个是直接测量 测试系统中的噪声功率谱，其被 内部损失。 第二个领域将是一系列测试， 可能的钟摆挠曲材料。 最后，他会检查 为LIGO提出的悬挂设计，以验证它们显示 预期的低损失水平。 应用于其他 还将探索引力实验。

Professor Saulson will initiate a program of research in experimental gravitational physics concerning mechanical thermal noise. This effort is quite timely, since the spectrum of thermal noise of the test mass pendulums will likely be the limit of sensitivity of interferometric gravitational wave detectors, such as the proposed LIGO. Saulson's research program will have three main areas of emphasis. One will be a direct measurement of the thermal noise power spectrum in a test system that is damped by internal losses. A second area will be a set of tests of possible pendulum flexure materials. Finally, he will check proposed suspension designs for LIGO to verify that they show the expected low levels of losses. Applications to other gravitational experiments will also be explored.