Stanford Program in Support of LIGO

斯坦福大学支持 LIGO 的计划

• 批准号: 1404430
• 负责人: Robert Byer
• 金额: $ 330万
• 依托单位: Stanford University
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-12-15 至 2017-11-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1404430&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Stanford; Program; Support; LIGO

Gravitational waves were predicted almost 100 years ago in Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, but they have not yet been detected due to the extreme sensitivity required. Examples of potential sources include interacting black holes, coalescing compact binary stellar systems, stellar collapses, and pulsars. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) was built to measure strains in the fabric of space-time that are produced by gravitational waves. However, the initial version was sensitive enough to see only a short way into the Cosmos. With completion of a recent upgrade, Advanced LIGO will soon become operational with ten times the sensitivity of LIGO. When it reaches design sensitivity, it should be able to detect gravity wave sources as far away as the Virgo cluster of galaxies and launch gravitational wave astronomy as a new window on the Universe. Stanford has a strong, multidisciplinary program in developing the technology for detectors such as LIGO. Participants include mechanical, electrical and control engineers, physicists and materials researchers. The program provides training for future scientists and engineers at both the undergraduate and graduate levels; it integrates basic scientific research with scientific education; and it develops and funds outreach programs that inform and educate the broader community.Stanford is engaged in research and development on gravitational wave detection for the LIGO program. Improved seismic isolation and alignment system platforms will be developed to enable higher sensitivity at low frequencies where ground vibrations currently limit sensitivity. Studies of the optics will remain an active area of research to reduce noise from thermally-driven mechanical fluctuations in their amorphous optical coatings, which is now predicted to limit the sensitivity of Advanced LIGO in its most sensitive frequency band around 1000 Hz. Investigations of the atomic structure of the amorphous coatings will focus on a better understanding of the microscopic mechanisms that cause mechanical loss, which results in excess thermal noise. The thrust of the proposed research is to reduce risk and facilitate the success of Advanced LIGO, and to enable an opening of gravitational wave astronomy.

在爱因斯坦的一般相对论中，大约100年前预测了引力波，但由于所需的极端敏感性，尚未检测到它们。潜在来源的例子包括相互作用的黑洞，紧凑型二元恒星系统，恒星倒塌和脉冲星。激光干涉仪重力波观测站（LIGO）旨在测量引力波产生的时空结构中的应变。 但是，初始版本足够敏感，只能看到宇宙的一小路。随着最近的升级完成，Advanced Ligo将很快成为Ligo敏感性的十倍。 当它达到设计敏感性时，它应该能够检测到远处的重力波源，即处女座星系群，并发射引力波天文学作为宇宙的新窗口。 斯坦福大学在开发诸如Ligo之类的探测器的技术方面拥有强大的多学科计划。 参与者包括机械，电气和控制工程师，物理学家和材料研究人员。该计划为本科和研究生水平的未来科学家和工程师提供培训；它将基础科学研究与科学教育相结合；它开发和资金外展计划，为更广泛的社区提供信息和教育。斯坦福大学正在为LIGO计划的重力波检测研究和开发。将开发改进的地震隔离和对准系统平台，以在当前限制敏感性的低频下使更高的灵敏度。对光学的研究将仍然是一个活跃的研究领域，以减少其无定形光学涂层中热驱动的机械波动的噪声，现在预计该涂层将限制高级Ligo在其最敏感的频带中的灵敏度左右。 对无定形涂层原子结构的研究将集中在对导致机械损失的微观机制的更好理解上，从而导致过量的热噪声。拟议的研究的推力是降低风险并促进晚期Ligo的成功，并能够开放引力波天文学。