Characterization of the LIGO detectors during their sixth science run

Abstract

In 2009-2010, the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory\n(LIGO) operated together with international partners Virgo and GEO600 as a\nnetwork to search for gravitational waves (GWs) of astrophysical origin. The\nsensitivity of these detectors was limited by a combination of noise sources\ninherent to the instrumental design and its environment, often localized in time\nor frequency, that couple into the GW readout. Here we review the performance\nof the LIGO instruments during this epoch, the work done to characterize\nthe detectors and their data, and the effect that transient and\ncontinuous noise artefacts have on the sensitivity of LIGO to a variety of\nastrophysical sources.