Increasing the Bandwidth of Resonant Gravitational Antennas: The Case of Explorer

Abstract

Resonant gravitational wave detectors with an observation bandwidth of tens of hertz are a reality: the antenna Explorer, operated at CERN by the ROG Collaboration, has been upgraded with a new readout. In this new configuration, it exhibits an unprecedented useful bandwidth: in over 55 Hz about its center operating frequency of 919 Hz the spectral sensitivity is better than 10(-20) Hz(-1/2). We describe the detector and its sensitivity and discuss the foreseeable upgrades to even larger bandwidths.