LIGO Update by Fred Raab

1. LIGO Updateby Fred Raab Local Educators Network LIGO Hanford Observatory October 27, 2005

2. LIGO is doing well • LIGO construction and commissioning of the Initial LIGO detectors have been a success • LIGO has built a large international collaboration of approximately 500 scientists on four continents and leads the world in gravitational wave research • LIGO is embarking on a long search (more than one year) that may well make first detection of gravitational waves • LIGO data analysis has provided the premier test drive for the national GRID-computing & Virtual Data infrastructure • LIGO’s experimental technology development program has been a resounding success and continues to contribute to national technical capabilities • NSF and NSB have recommended construction of Advanced LIGO, which will extend LIGO’s world-leading sensitivity by a huge factor and ensure that gravitational-wave astronomy takes off; scheduled by OMB for FY08 start LHO LEN 2005 meeting

3. LIGO Commissioning Has Succeeded! LHO LEN 2005 meeting

4. Progress toward our Science Goal—Distance LIGO can detect Binary Neutron Stars • First data analyzed Dec 2001 • Local stellar neighborhood • S1 August 2002 • Entire Milky Way Galaxy • S2 Feb-April 2003 • First large external galaxy • S3 Nov-Dec 2003 • Numerous external galaxies • S4 Feb-Mar 2005 • Knocking on Virgo cluster • Achieve robust duty cycle • S5 Nov 2005 - ? • A year in the Virgo cluster Milky Way M31 M81 Virgo cluster LHO LEN 2005 meeting

5. S5 range for binary neutron star inspirals will reach to ~35M light years (H1 and L1) S2 Range LHO LEN 2005 meeting Image: R. Powell

6. Recent NASA discoveries have heightened excitement for first GW detection These NASA summaries describe recent types of events which are of interest to LIGO as potential sources LHO LEN 2005 meeting

7. Increased “Reach” for Advanced LIGO LHO LEN 2005 meeting

8. Funding Issues • US funding for science has continued to erode • National Academy study chaired by Norman Augustine to investigate consequences and remedies at request of US Senate • LIGO has needed to tighten up & reduce operating staff • OMB scheduled start for AdLIGO is a slip of one year from NSB recommendation • UK funding of AdLIGO has already begun and progress toward funding by Germany continues • LIGO Science Education Center funded ($5M) by NSF • Exploratorium has delivered first wave of exhibits • Active professional development program in place (Southern U. and LaSIP / LaGEAR-UP) • Center construction begins next week • LIGO Hanford Observatory funded ($50K) by NSF to develop GRID-based access to LIGO environmental data for “Interactions in Understanding the Universe” LHO LEN 2005 meeting

9. LIGO Management • LIGO Laboratory & LIGO Scientific Collaboration managements have been restructured • Now LIGO has a single directorate including LSC Spokeperson • Caltech/MIT LIGO Oversight Committee expanded to include LSC “stakeholder-institution” representation and at-large, non-voting LSC technical advisors • Barry Barish has retired from Caltech • Barish will remain as emeritus professor and will direct the International Linear Collider (ILC) construction effort • Stan Whitcomb (formerly Deputy Director) is Acting Director • LIGO Director Search Committee has made recommendations to Oversight Committee • Hope to begin new year with new director LHO LEN 2005 meeting