Narrow Results

Future gravitational wave observatories will be realized underground in order to reduce external disturbances, such as seismic, Newtonian and environmental noises. The Japanese gravitational wave telescope KAGRA is under construction at the Kamioka site and the Einstein Telescope gravitational wave observatory is under study in Europe; the common aspects, the differences and the expected performances of these innovative machines are investigated.

The Lunar Gravitational–Wave Antenna is a proposed low–frequency gravitational–wave detector on the Moon surface. It will be composed of an array of high-end cryogenic superconducting inertial sensors (CSISs). A cryogenic environment will be used in combination with superconducting materials to open up pathways to low–loss actuators and sensor mechanics. CSIS revolutionizes the (cryogenic) inertial sensor field with a modelled displacement sensitivity at 0.5 Hz of 3 orders of magnitude better than the current state–of–the–art. It will allow the Lunar Gravitational–Wave Antenna to be sensitive below 1 Hz, down to 1 mHz and it will also be employed in the forthcoming Einstein Telescope—a third-generation gravitational–wave detector which will make use of cryogenic technologies and that will have an enhanced sensitivity below 10 Hz. Moreover, CSIS seismic data could also be employed to obtain new insights about the Moon interior and what we can call the Selene-physics.

Over the past decade, gravitational wave detectors have undergone dramatic transitions in both sensitivity and scale — from laboratory-sized resonant bar detectors to kilometer-length-scale laser interferometers. The construction and operation of large-scale laser-interferometric gravitational wave detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) and the Virgo interferometer as well as others have enabled searches for extra-galactic gravitational waves with unprecedented range and sensitivity. Here, we review the present state of the global laser-interferometric gravitational wave detector network, highlight the results of recent science runs, and provide a preview of the state of the network in the coming decade and beyond.

Future gravitational wave observatories will be realized underground in order to reduce external disturbances, such as seismic, Newtonian and environmental noises. The Japanese gravitational wave telescope KAGRA is under construction at the Kamioka site and the Einstein Telescope gravitational wave observatory is under study in Europe; the common aspects, the differences and the expected performances of these innovative machines are investigated.