Ligo 5th Science Run ( S-5 ), Gravity Wave Study Options

[The Messenger]

http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/NSF/related/charge.pdf

Excellent progress continues in eliminating noise sources and increasing detector stability. With the replacement of a somewhat lossy input test mass on the Hanford 4-km x-arm, all three interferometers should now be capable of achieving design sensitivity (approximately 14 Mpc range for the canonical NS-NS inspiral for the 4-km IFOs, approximately 7 Mpc range for the 2-km IFO). Currently, the 4-km IFOs have demonstrated sensitivities in the 11 MPc range and the 2-km IFO in the 4.5-MPc range. S-5 is expected to start on November 4th, 2005 with all three IFOs operating very close to design sensitivity.

Michelson & Morley enter the 21st century...

LIGO Home: http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/

[deglr6328]

caption from image at ligo site "A portion of a mirror face. The copper coil is part of the control system. The screw has a viton earthquake stop at its tip to protect the mirror against extreme motions (more than about 0.5 micron)"

!!!! haha! I don't know why but that just strikes me as hilarious today.

[edstrick]

It's REALLY good news that LIGO is up to about it's orignially promised performance.

The bad news is that unless we're quite lucky, there won't be a strong enough signal to be detected till the second generation upgrades. We COULD be lucky... cross fingers... and there COULD be surprise sources that aren't on the "expected population of signals list".... But we can't count on that.

But getting to first generation successfully is mandatory to go on from there.

[The Messenger]

It's REALLY good news that LIGO is up to about it's orignially promised performance. 

The bad news is that unless we're quite lucky, there won't be a strong enough signal to be detected till the second generation upgrades.  We COULD be lucky... cross fingers... and there COULD be surprise sources that aren't on the "expected population of signals list".... But we can't count on that.

But getting to first generation successfully is mandatory to go on from there.

There are reasons to be slightly more optomistic - There are, if memory serves me, at least 4 known binary pulsars that are nearing final collapse. This implies that there are may similar pairs in our own galaxy that could 'bite the big one" at any moment. These should be within LIGOs range at the current sensitivity.

Regardless of any success or failure (which, if the sensitivity is great enough, should also provide a successful null hypothesis) - The sensor technology developed for the LIGO program is a sterling technological achievement. I didn't think that even the current level of sensitivity could ever be achieved.

[The Messenger]

Summer 2006
LIGO Scientific Collaboration Meeting
Mon 14 Aug:
All day: Data analysis plenary talks: Upcoming publications and talks, S5 results

Tues 15 Aug:
Morning: Official Opening, general plenary talks
Afternoon: Data analysis plenary talks: Summaries and future plans

Wed 16 Aug:
All day: Instrument Science talks, in parallel with Detector Characterization