Thermal Noise and Pendulum Design for Gravitational Wave Interferometers

索尔森教授将启动一项关于机械热噪声的实验引力物理研究计划。这项工作是非常及时的，因为测试质量摆的热噪声频谱很可能是干涉型引力波探测器的灵敏度极限，例如拟议的LIGO。索尔森的研究计划将有三个主要的重点领域。一种是在受内部损耗抑制的测试系统中直接测量热噪声功率谱。第二个领域将是一系列可能的钟摆弯曲材料的测试。最后，他将检查LIGO拟议的悬挂设计，以验证它们是否显示出预期的较低损失水平。还将探索在其他引力实验中的应用。

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.