日時: 2013年10月28日（月）午後4:30 − 午後6:00

場所: 東京大学 理学部4号館　1220号室

Listening to the Universe: Gravitational Wave Detection on the Ground and in Space

講演者: Karsten Danzmann 教授
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics, (Albert- Einstein-Institut) and Institute for Gravitational Physics, Leibniz Universitat Hannover

アブストラクト:
More than 90 years ago, Einstein predicted the existence of Gravitational Waves as a consequence of his theory of General Relativity. They are minute distortions of space and time, created by rapidly accelerating large masses, and propagating at the speed of light. So far, they have never been directly detected. These mysterious waves are emitted by coalescing binary stars, neutron stars, supernovae, Black Holes and the Big Bang itself, and they will permit us views of the dark ages of the universe. Their observation requires modern laser technology and measurements at the quantum mechanical detection limit. Several kilometer-size laser-interferometric gravitational wave detectors are currently operating on the earth, and one of them is our GEO600 near Hannover. GEO600 is currently the only large detector taking data, while the two LIGO observatories in the US and the Virgo detectors in Italy are being upgraded to their advanced state, and KAGRA in Japan is under construction. They will soon be joined by space detectors with armlengths of millions of kilometers. Such space missions has been under study now for over 2 decades. Currently, the European Space Agenc ESA is selecting the science themes for the next large missions L2 and L3 in their Cosmic Vision program. The eLISA mission is widely considered as the most promising candidate. All the technologies for eLISA not testable on ground will be demonstrated by the technology precursor mission LISA Pathfinder. Almost all the flight hardware for LISA Pathfinder has now been delivered and tested, the satellite and propoulsion module are ready, and the last stages of final integration have begun. The schedule has been stable for many months, and we are looking forward to a LISA Pathfinder launch in summer of 2015, paving the way for a continuous transition into the full eLISA project for a launch in 2028.