Interferometric gravitational wave detector
Encyclopedia
An interferometric gravitational wave detector is a gravitational wave detector
that uses laser
interferometry
to detect the influence of gravitational wave
s on light that is moving back and forth between test mass
es. Current interferometric gravitational wave detectors include GEO600 near Sarstedt
, Germany, and LIGO, with detector facilities in Hanford
, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana
, in the United States.
Gravitational wave detector
A gravitational wave detector is any experiment designed to measure gravitational waves, minute distortions of spacetime that are predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity. The existence of gravitational radiation is a prediction of Einstein's general theory of relativity. Gravitational...
that uses laser
Laser
A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of photons. The term "laser" originated as an acronym for Light Amplification by Stimulated Emission of Radiation...
interferometry
Interferometry
Interferometry refers to a family of techniques in which electromagnetic waves are superimposed in order to extract information about the waves. An instrument used to interfere waves is called an interferometer. Interferometry is an important investigative technique in the fields of astronomy,...
to detect the influence of gravitational wave
Gravitational wave
In physics, gravitational waves are theoretical ripples in the curvature of spacetime which propagates as a wave, traveling outward from the source. Predicted to exist by Albert Einstein in 1916 on the basis of his theory of general relativity, gravitational waves theoretically transport energy as...
s on light that is moving back and forth between test mass
Mass
Mass can be defined as a quantitive measure of the resistance an object has to change in its velocity.In physics, mass commonly refers to any of the following three properties of matter, which have been shown experimentally to be equivalent:...
es. Current interferometric gravitational wave detectors include GEO600 near Sarstedt
Sarstedt
Sarstedt is a town in the district of Hildesheim, Lower Saxony, Germany. It has around 17,800 inhabitants. Sarstedt is close to Hanover.The GEO 600 gravitational wave detector is located nearby....
, Germany, and LIGO, with detector facilities in Hanford
Hanford Site
The Hanford Site is a mostly decommissioned nuclear production complex on the Columbia River in the U.S. state of Washington, operated by the United States federal government. The site has been known by many names, including Hanford Works, Hanford Engineer Works or HEW, Hanford Nuclear Reservation...
, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana
Livingston, Louisiana
Livingston is a town in and the parish seat of Livingston Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 1,342 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area....
, in the United States.