Instrument development and data analysis in LIGO

激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO）由位于路易斯安那州利文斯顿和华盛顿州汉福德的4公里基线探测器和位于汉福德的另外一个2公里探测器组成。LIGO的工作原理是使用精密激光干涉测量技术来测量地震隔离测试质量镜的相对运动，这是由于遥远天体物理事件发射的引力波（GW’s）产生的极小的力。这些波还没有被直接观测到。路易斯安那州立大学（LSU）距离LIGO利文斯顿（LLO）约40公里，作为LIGO科学合作组织（LSC）的成员，与LIGO有着长期的合作关系。作为LSC的一部分，LSU小组正在对LIGO的数据进行分析，以寻找轨道相互旋转并合并的黑洞或中子星对发出的GW信号，以及来自其他来源的产生短时间爆发的信号。该小组的工作还包括必要的物理测量和数据分析，以提供天体物理源搜索所必需的校准和数据质量信息。高级LIGO地震隔离系统的研究、开发和原型设计也在LSC的各个设施中进行，LSU的关键小组也参与了该系统的研究、开发和原型设计。高级LIGO是LIGO天文台的升级版本，每周可以探测到几个源。最后，研究了先进LIGO探测器高占空比所需的倾斜测量系统的概念设计。在广泛的背景下，这些活动涉及LSU的教师，博士后，研究生和LIGO的本科生，使LSU的人们受益于与经验丰富的LIGO和LSC科学家一起工作，并使用具有重大科学发现的绝佳可能性的设备。路易斯安那州立大学的研究小组已经参与了几个向公众展示引力波科学的项目，该小组将继续努力，利用并创造机会进行推广。路易斯安那州立大学与LIGO共享图书馆、网络设施和研讨会。LIGO工作人员参加路易斯安那州立大学物理和天文学系的讨论会和天体物理学讨论小组，并经常直接与我们的学生一起工作。LIGO和我们附近的研究型大学之间这种密切而广泛的关系有望通过持续的合作得到加强。

The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) consists of 4 km baseline detectors in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington, and an additional 2 km detector in Hanford. LIGO's operating principle is to use precision laser interferometry to measure the relative motion of seismically-isolated test mass mirrors due to the extremely small forces from gravitational waves (GW's) emitted by distant astrophysical events. These waves have not yet been directly observed. Louisiana State University (LSU) is located approximately 40 km from LIGO Livingston (LLO) and has a long-term collaborative relationship with LIGO as a member of the LIGO ScientificCollaboration (LSC). The LIGO data are being analyzed by the LSU group, as part of the LSC, for GW signals from pairs of black holes or neutron stars whose orbits spiral in towards each other and coalesce, and for signals from other sources that produce short-duration bursts. The group's work also includes the physical measurements and data analysis necessary to provide calibration and data quality information that is necessary for astrophysical source searches. Research, development, and prototyping of a seismic isolation system for Advanced LIGO, an upgraded version of the LIGO Observatory which could detect several sources per week, is also being carried out at various LSC facilities, with critical LSU group involvement. Finally, a conceptual design of a tilt measurement system necessary for high duty cycle of the Advanced LIGO detectors is being studied.In a broad context, these activities involve LSU faculty, postdocs, graduate students and undergraduates at LIGO, bringing LSU people the benefits of working with experienced LIGO and LSC scientists, and with apparatus that allows an excellent possibility of significant scientific discovery. The LSU group has been involved in several projects to present the science ofgravitational waves to the general public, and the group will keep up the effort to take advantages of, and create, opportunities for outreach. LSU shares its libraries, networking facilities, and workshops with LIGO. LIGO personnel participate the LSU Physics and Astronomy department's colloquia and astrophysics discussion groups, and often work directly with our students. This close and extensive relationship between LIGO and our nearby research university is expected to be strengthened with continued collaboration.