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Advanced LIGO: Discussion of the technology which has made the detection of gravitational waves a weekly event
Brian Lantz, Stanford University
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"How is that even possible?" In 2015 the twin detectors of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) made the first measurement of the stretching of space-time caused by a passing gravitational wave. The peak strain along the 4 km long arms was only about 1 part in 1021 - a remarkable measurement which has opened the door to a new way to listen to the universe. In this talk I'll give an overview of how the interferometers work and describe a few of the key technologies which make this new type of observation not only possible, but actually a regular occurrence.
About Brian Lantz
Brian Lantz is a Senior Research Scientist at Stanford University and is the lead scientist for the seismic isolation systems which support the optics of Advanced LIGO. He also serves as the Advanced Detector Chair of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, coordinating research between the various Working Groups on Instrument Science for next generation detectors. Dr. Lantz does research on seismic isolation systems for the next generation of Gravitational Wave detectors, a role which involves precision engineering, servo control, precision measurements, and interferometer operation.
Dr. Lantz began working on the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) project in 1990 as an undergraduate in Rai Weiss’s lab at MIT. He worked on a variety of LIGO research projects there, and he received his Ph.D. studying shot noise in high-power interferometers, work which held the record for best shot-noise limited phase-sensitivity until the LIGO detectors came on line.
Audience: Public
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