"Gravitational Wave Detection and Astrophysics"

研究将集中在与激光干涉仪引力波观测台实验有关的四个领域：1）对激光干涉仪引力波观测台的初始数据进行天体物理学分析，以寻找周期性引力波源; 2）系统地了解激光干涉仪仪器并确定其特性; 3）调试干涉仪，使其达到设计灵敏度;以及4）为未来先进的LIGO干涉仪开发新型伺服控制系统。LIGO的数据对潜在的引力波已经具有前所未有的敏感性。密歇根大学的研究小组将通过探测器的表征和调试来进一步提高灵敏度，同时将仔细检查数据，以找到银河系附近未被发现的、电磁安静的旋转中子星的证据。发现天体引力波将标志着科学上的一个重要里程碑，同时证实引力物理学的一个基本预测，同时开辟了一个全新的天文学领域探测来自旋转中子星的这种波将特别令人感兴趣，因为预计许多这种源将持续发射很长时间，从而可以进行更精确的后续调查。人们还认为，这些波将提供深入了解这些奇异恒星的鲜为人知的结构。在仪器和分析方面进行的研究将为本科生和研究生提供知识前沿最先进科学方面的培训。

Research will focus on four areas related to the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Experiment: 1) astrophysical analysis of initial LIGO data in a search for periodic sources of gravitational waves; 2) systematic understanding and characterization of the LIGO instruments; 3) commissioning of the interferometers to bring them to design sensitivity; and4) development of novel servo controls systems for future advanced LIGO interferometers. The LIGO data already has unprecedented sensitivity to potential gravitational waves. As the Michigan group helps improve that sensitivity further through detector characterization and commissioning, it will be examining the data closely to find evidence for undiscovered, electromagnetically quiet,rotating neutron stars in the galactic neighborhood.Discovery of gravitational waves from astrophysical objects will mark a major milestone in science, simultaneously confirming one of the fundamental predictions of gravitational physics, while opening up an entirely new field of astronomy. The detection of such waves from rotating neutron stars would be especially interesting because many such sources are expected to continue emitting for long durations, allowing follow-up investigation of increasing precision. It is also believed that these waves will provide insight into the poorly known structure of these exotic stars. The research to be carried out, on both the instrumental and analytical sides, will provide training to undergraduate and graduate students in state-of-the-art science at the frontier of knowledge.