Construction, Operation, and Supporting Research and Development of a Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory

这是一个建造和运行激光干涉仪引力波天文台(LIGO)的项目，并继续研究和开发灵敏度越来越高的干涉探测器。拟议的LIGO包括4公里长的干涉仪装置和辅助设施；这些装置将位于美国大陆两个相距很远的地点，在探测引力波方面将同时运行。LIGO项目是加州理工学院和麻省理工学院科学家的共同努力，包括与斯坦福大学、科罗拉多大学和其他机构的科学家合作项目。该观测站将作为用户设施运营，向国家社区开放，并将成为计划中的全球引力波观测站网络的一部分。拟议的LIGO是基于近20年的科学研究和开发。LIGO计划的最终目标包括(1)测试爱因斯坦的广义相对论-特别是测量引力辐射的速度和极化，以及研究高度非线性的动态重力领域，以及(2)打开了一个观察宇宙的窗口，它与电磁或粒子天文学提供的窗口有根本的不同。

This is a project to build and operate a Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) and to continue research and development of interferometric detectors of ever higher sensitivities. The proposed LIGO includes interferometer installations of 4-km arm length and support facilities; these installations would be located at two widely separated sites in the continental United States and would operate in coincidence for the detection of gravitational waves. The LIGO project is a joint effort of scientists at the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and includes collaborative programs with scientists at Stanford, University of Colorado, and other institutions. The observatory will be operated as a user facility, open for use by the national community, and will become part of a planned worldwide network of gravitational- wave observatories. The proposed LIGO is based on almost two decades of science research and development. The ultimate objectives of the LIGO program include (1) tests of Einstein's General Theory of Relativity---in particular, measurement of the velocity and polarization of gravitational radiation and studies of the domain of highly nonlinear, dynamic gravity, and (2) the opening of an observational window on the universe that differs fundamentally from that provided by electromagnetic or particle astronomy.