1 Introduction

Gravitational Wave Detection by Interferometry
(Ground and Space)

Sheila Rowan
Ginzton Laboratory
Stanford University
Stanford CA 94305-4085
srowan@loki.stanford.edu

Jim Hough
Department of Physics and Astronomy
University of Glasgow
Glasgow G12 8QQ, UK
J.hough@physics.gla.ac.uk

(Accepted 24 January 2000)

Abstract:

Significant progress has been made in recent years on the development of gravitational wave detectors. Sources such as coalescing compact binary systems, low-mass X-ray binaries, stellar collapses and pulsars are all possible candidates for detection. The most promising design of gravitational wave detector uses test masses a long distance apart and freely suspended as pendulums on Earth or in drag-free craft in space. The main theme of this review is a discussion of the mechanical and optical principles used in the various long baseline systems being built around the world - LIGO (USA), VIRGO (Italy/France), TAMA 300 (Japan) and GEO 600 (Germany/UK) - and in LISA, a proposed space-borne interferometer.



1 Introduction

image Gravitational Wave Detection by Interferometry (Ground and Space)
Sheila Rowan and Jim Hough
http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2000-3
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