The Australian International Gravitational Observatory (AIGO) is a research facility located near Gingin, north of Perth in Western Australia. It is part of a worldwide effort to directly detect gravitational waves. Note that these are a major prediction of the general theory of relativity and are not to be confused with gravity waves, a phenomenon studied in fluid mechanics.
It is operated by the Australian International Gravitational Research Centre (AIGRC) through the University of Western Australia under the auspices of the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA).
The current aim of the facility is to develop advanced techniques for improving the sensitivity of interferometric gravitational wave detectors such as LIGO and VIRGO. A study of operational interferometric gravitational wave detectors shows that AIGO is situated in almost the ideal location to complement existing detectors in the Northern hemisphere.[1]
Current facilities
Current facilities (AIGO Stage I) consist of an L-shaped ultra high vacuum system, measuring 80 m on each side forming an interferometer for detecting gravitational waves.[2]
LIGO-Australia
LIGO-Australia was a proposed plan (AIGO Stage II) to install an Advanced LIGO interferometer at AIGO, forming a triangle of three Advanced LIGO detectors.[3][4] It was to consist of an L-shaped interferometer, measuring 5 km on each side, with vacuum pipes about 700 mm in diameter.[2]
A 2010 developmental roadmap[5] issued by the Gravitational Wave International Committee (GWIC) for the field of gravitational-wave astronomy recommended that an expansion of the global array of interferometric detectors be pursued as a highest priority. In its roadmap, GWIC identified the Southern Hemisphere as one of the key locations in which a gravitational-wave interferometer could most effectively complement existing detectors. The AIGO facility in Western Australia was well-located to work with the existing and planned components of the global network, and already possessed an active gravitational-wave community.
The LIGO-Australia plan was approved by LIGO's US funding agency, the National Science Foundation, contingent on the understanding that it involved no increase in LIGO's total budget. The cost of building, operating and staffing the interferometer would have rested entirely with the Australian government.[6] After a year-long effort, the LIGO Laboratory reluctantly acknowledged that the proposed relocation of an Advanced LIGO detector to Australia was not to occur. The Australian government had committed itself to a balanced budget and this precluded any new starts in science. The deadline for a response from Australia passed on 1 October 2011.
The proposal was then moved to India, where the Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations obtained government support and is constructing LIGO-India. India is not quite as good a location as Australia, but provides most of the benefit.
Co-located Facilities
AIGO is on the same grounds as the Gravity Discovery Centre and the GDC Observatory, of which are educational and instructional facilities open to the general public. It is also the site of the Geoscience Australia Gingin Magnetic Observatory, one of a network of nine for monitoring the Earth's magnetic field.[7][8]
References
Searle, Antony C.; Scott, Susan M.; McClelland, David E.; Finn, L. Samuel (2006). "Optimal location of a new interferometric gravitational wave observatory". Physical Review D. 73 (12): 124014. Bibcode:2006PhRvD..73l4014S. doi:10.1103/PhysRevD.73.124014.
David Blair (ed.). AIGO Stage II. Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA).
"The Need for a Southern Hemisphere Detector". AIGO. Archived from the original on 19 March 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
Reaching Still Higher by Going Down Under: the LIGO-Australia Concept, by Dave Beckett, 10/11/2010, LIGO Laboratory News.
"The future of gravitational wave astronomy" (PDF). GWIC. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 February 2016. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/sci;329/5995/1003, article from Science magazine, 27 August 2010.
"Geomagnetic observatory relocated". Australian Government Geoscience Australia. Archived from the original on 21 March 2012. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
"Gnangara geomagnetic observatory—50 years young". Australian Government Geoscience Australia. Retrieved 28 April 2012.
vte
Gravitational-wave astronomy
Gravitational wave Gravitational-wave observatory
Detectors
Resonant mass
antennas
Active
NAUTILUS (IGEC) AURIGA (IGEC) MiniGRAIL Mario Schenberg
Past
EXPLORER (IGEC) ALLEGRO (IGEC) NIOBE (IGEC) Stanford gravitational wave detector ALTAIR GEOGRAV AGATA Weber bar
Proposed
TOBA
Past proposals
GRAIL (downsized to MiniGRAIL) TIGA SFERA Graviton (downsized to Mario Schenberg)
Ground-based
Interferometers
Active
AIGO (ACIGA) CLIO Fermilab holometer GEO600 Advanced LIGO (LIGO Scientific Collaboration) KAGRA Advanced Virgo (European Gravitational Observatory)
Past
TAMA 300 TAMA 20, later known as LISM TENKO-100 Caltech 40m interferometer
Planned
INDIGO (LIGO-India)
Proposed
Cosmic Explorer Einstein Telescope
Past proposals
AIGO (LIGO-Australia)
Space-based
interferometers
Planned
LISA
Proposed
Big Bang Observer DECIGO TianQin
Pulsar timing arrays
EPTA IPTA NANOGrav PPTA
Data analysis
Einstein@Home PyCBC Zooniverse: Gravity Spy
Observations
Events
List of observations First observation (GW150914) GW151012 GW151226 GW170104 GW170608 GW170729 GW170809 GW170814 GW170817 (first neutron star merger) GW170818 GW170823 GW190412 GW190521 (first-ever light from bh-bh merger) GW190814 (first-ever "mass gap" collision)
Methods
Direct detection
Laser interferometers Resonant mass detectors Proposed: Atom interferometers Indirect detection
B-modes of CMB Pulsar timing array Binary pulsar
Theory
General relativity Tests of general relativity Metric theories Graviton
Effects / properties
Polarization Spin-flip Redshift Travel with speed of light h strain Chirp signal (chirp mass) Carried energy
Types / sources
Stochastic
Cosmic inflation-quantum fluctuation Phase transition Binary inspiral
Supermassive black holes Stellar black holes Neutron stars EMRI Continuous
Rotating neutron star Burst
Supernova or from unknown sources Hypothesis
Colliding cosmic string and other unknown sources
Hellenica World - Scientific Library
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