Review of Scientific Instruments · 2001 · 100 citations · 15 references
Natural SciencesGeophysicsPhysicsInstrumentationSeismologyVibrationGravitational WavesInterferometryOptical InstrumentationSeismic AttenuationSeismic InstrumentationVibration MeasurementGravitational Wave DetectionGravitational Wave InterferometryInterferometric DetectorsLow-pass FiltersOptical InterferometersSecond-order Low-pass FilterSeismic Noise AttenuationSeismic Sensors
Below a few tens of hertz interferometric detection of gravitational waves is masked by seismic vibrations of the optical components. In order to isolate the mirrors of the VIRGO interferometer, a sophisticated suspension system, called superattenuator, has been developed. Its working principle is based on a multistage pendulum acting on seismic vibrations as a chain of second order mechanical low-pass filters. A complete superattenuator has been built and tested. This apparatus allows extending the VIRGO detection band down to a few Hz. A detailed description of the attenuation system and its performance are presented in this article.
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LIGO: The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory
Alex Abramovici, W. E. Althouse, R. W. P. Drever et al. · Science · 1992 · 2.3K citations
Natural Sciences, Astronomy, Physics +16
<i>300 Years of Gravitation</i>
S. W. Hawking, W. Israel, W. G. Unruh · Physics Today · 1988 · 316 citations