LIGO and Third Generation detectors

1
LIGO and Third Generation detectors

• David Shoemaker
• 28 October 2007

2
The main points

• LIGO Lab very interested in being engaged in the
  effort to develop 3rd generation instruments
• LIGO Lab quite occupied with nearer-term
  activities!
• LIGO Lab advocates a unified global effort for
  the long term

3
LIGO Lab plans

• To repeat the possibly obvious.on the Labs
  Instrument Scientists plate in the coming
  decade
• 2008-2009.5 Enhanced LIGO installation,
  commissioning
• 2008-2011 Advanced LIGO development, final
  design, fabrication
• 2011-2014 Advanced LIGO installation,
  integration, test
• 2014-2018 Advanced LIGO to design sensitivity,
  engineering and science runs
• The Lab is quite occupied with these activities,
  and considers them the first priorities in
  Instrument Science in the coming years.

4
Lab activities for 3rd generation instruments

• RD program planned to run throughout coming
  decade
• Initial focus is Advanced LIGO Enhancements
• However Growing element looking at techniques
  for 3rd generation instruments
• Near term 3rd generation research foci
• Development of optical coatings
• Interferometry using prepared states of light,
  pondermotive squeezing
• Growing interest in thinking about more general
  questions
• How broad considerations of interferometer design
  influences the choice and treatment of 3rd gen
  sites
• How we all might get the most out of the world
  resources in the field for the 3rd generation of
  instruments/observatories

5
Generalities

• Clear that the next generation of instruments
  will, likely, require new sites
• Underground
• Greater lengths
• Additional sites
• Clear that the instruments will be,certainly,
  more complicated, difficult to design, and
  difficult to bring to design sensitivity
  potentially use
• Cryogenics
• Higher laser power and stored energy
• Require smaller optical, and mechanical losses
• More sophisticated light (and un-light) sources
• Clear that the cost of design and fabrication of
  these Instruments/Sites will be considerable
• Clear that many of the elements for the various
  instruments/sites could be identical

6
Bottom line from LIGO perspective

• Strong impetus to approach the 3rd generation
  designs as a globally unified effort
• Ideally, an optimization of the distribution of
  effort
• Redundancy in research and development where
  indicated, but
• Also significant division of effort, with e.g.,
  individual subsystems developed and possibly
  supplied by different worldwide groups
• Will lead to some compromises and flowers which
  will not be allowed to bloom
• Appears to lead, though, to the best potential
  for success from standpoints of
• Instrument science and technology
• Quality, compatibility, and net value of global
  data
• Lowest cost and risk, and thus success in support
  from funding agencies
• The LIGO Lab is eager to be a strong contributor,
  ramping up as 2nd gen systems come on line, in
  this next phase of GW Astronomy
• Participation in the RD leading to 3rd
  generation designs
• Participation in the global planning and
  realization of those instruments