Instrument Development and Data Analysis for LIGO

引力波是对爱因斯坦广义相对论的一个直接而深刻的预测。它们从未被直接测量过，但由遥远的剧烈天体物理事件产生的时空涟漪很快就会被激光干涉引力波天文台（LIGO）探测到，该天文台在路易斯安那州的利文斯顿和华盛顿州的汉福德设有探测器。LIGO的探测器使用精密的激光干涉测量技术来测量精密隔离的测试质量镜的相对运动，这是由于4公里臂长差异的极小波动。路易斯安那州立大学（LSU）距离LIGO利文斯顿（LLO）大约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。LSC是一个由数百名科学家组成的国际组织，研究引力波探测器技术并分析LIGO探测器采集的数据。LSU集团的奖金将用于PI履行其作为LSC当选发言人的职责；在安装高级LIGO探测器的子系统中对数据进行表征，从而提高探测器的数据质量和天体物理覆盖范围；并研究改进先进LIGO探测器校准方法的方法。除了推进先进的LIGO探测器的科学范围外，该奖项还将发展科学人力资源（研究生和博士后）。此外，该奖项支持的路易斯安那州立大学小组成员将向公众传播他们的研究成果，并努力增加代表性不足的少数民族参与科学研究。

Gravitational waves are a straightforward but profound prediction of Einstein's theory of General Relativity. They have never been directly measured, but the ripples in space time produced by distant violent astrophysical events will soon be detectable by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), with detectors in Livingston, Louisiana, and Hanford, Washington. LIGO's detectors use precision laser interferometry to measure the relative motion of exquisitely isolated test mass mirrors due to the extremely small fluctuations in the difference of the 4km-arm lengths. 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 Scientific Collaboration (LSC), an international group of hundreds of scientists researching the technology for gravitational wave detectors and analyzing the data taken with LIGO detectors. This award to the LSU group will be used to allow the PI to fulfill her duties as the elected spokesperson of the LSC; to characterize data from the subsystems of Advanced LIGO detectors as they are installed, allowing the improvement of the data quality and astrophysical reach of the detectors; and to research ways to improve the calibration methods used for the Advanced LIGO detectors. In addition to advancing the science reach of Advanced LIGO detectors, the award will develop scientific human resources (graduate students and postdocs). Moreover, the members of the LSU group supported by this award will disseminate the results of their research to the general public and work to increase the participation of under-represented minorities in scientific research.