This grant will support the development of an improved isolation system that may be suitable for use in an advanced system for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO). Professor Drever is investigating the feasibility of a magnetic suspension system to isolate future gravitational wave detectors from seismic vibration. The development of such a system, if successful would extend the useful range of LIGO to gravitational wave frequencies much lower than the initial detector under construction. The window for scientific discovery would thereby be greatly enlarged. This project is jointly supported by the Division of Physics and the MPS Office of Multidisciplinary Activities.
