Both Caltech and Non-Caltech students will be considered
Project Title:
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) Project
Project Description:
Participation in the Research and Development supporting the development of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory. Possible projects include:
- Control and Data Systems Development: Electronic hardware and software. Modelling.
- Optics Development: Laboratory and Software
- Laser Stabilization
- 40m Laser Interferometer activities: operations and data analysis.
Background Information:
LIGO is a $360M project to design, build, and operate an astrophysical observatory for the detection and study of gravitational waves. The observatory includes two sites (Hanford, Washington and Livingston Parish, Louisiana) with laser interferometric detector systems.
Literature references or articles that may provide more information on the project:
"The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)", R.E. Spero and S.E. Whitcomb,
Optics and Photonic News, 6, 35, 1995
"LIGO: The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory", A. Abramovici, et. al.,
Science, 256, 325, 1992
Further references are available on the LIGO WWW homepage -
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu
Requirements (skills, specific coursework, academic major, year in school, etc.):
The student should have interest and/or experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Physics laboratories
- Electronic design and testing
- Optics, lasers
- Computer programming
- Data analysis
Research Sponsor Name: Rochus E. Vogt
E-Mail: vogt@ligo.caltech.edu
Division: Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
Telephone: (818) 395-3800
Address: M/C 51-33
For further information contact Beth Moore, (818) 395-3064
Return to
Physics, Mathematics and Astronomy
Index or
SURF Home Page