International Collaboration

International collaboration in laser interferometric gravitational wave detection and data analysis includes research links with:

• Major interferometer projects in the USA (LIGO) and Europe (VIRGO ) on gravitational wave astronomy and low noise test masses: The Gingin research facility is being used by ACIGA in two major international collaborations. Firstly with LIGO it is being used to evaluate key aspects of advanced interferometer technology which is needed to upgrade LIGO to a sensitivity where it is guaranteed of detecting known sources. This is the High Optical Power Test Facility which will test optics capable of handling 100 times the optical power currently in use. This leads to a 100-fold improvement in detector energy sensitivity and a capability of increasing the number of accessible sources by about 1000-times. The project requires exceptional vibration isolation, sophisticated digital control systems, sapphire optics, very high power lasers and very low loss suspension systems. We have Honours and PhD projects in all of these areas, some involving close collaboration with other ACIGA members and with members of the LIGO project.

• Collaboration with the Japanese Large Cryogenic Gravitational Telescope project (University of Tokyo Gravitational Wave Group) which will develop even more sensitive detection technology by cooling interferometer test masses to liquid helium temperatures. The most critical issue for cryogenic detectors is extraction of heat. We have shown that our suspension technology is well suited for this. We have two projects in this area.

• Laboratories in India (the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics , Pune, on data processing and analysis (sdh@iucaa.ernet.in).

• the Institute of High Energy Physics and the Research Institute of Synthetic Crystals, Beijing: on optical devices (liyg@lnat.ihepa.ac.cn).