The Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors have revolutionized the field of gravitational wave astronomy with the direct detection of gravitational waves from the mergers of compact stellar remnants. In this talk I will describe how a wide variety of seismic instruments have been critical to the development of gravitational wave detectors, enabling them to measure the motion of 40 kg mirrors to better than 1e-19 meters/sqrtHz at 100 Hz. I will highlight the use of seismic instruments in several controls systems, in predicting future sensitivity limits to next-generation gravitational wave detectors, and in validating gravitational wave candidates. I will conclude with outlooks to the future, including instrument development within the LIGO Scientific Collaboration, and preparations for the upcoming observation run.
| Last updated | Key Points |
|---|---|
| 2019-01-30 |
|
