CINXE.COM

<!DOCTYPE html> <html> <head> <title> Look Deeper | LIGO Lab | Caltech </title> <meta content='text/html; charset=utf-8' http-equiv='Content-Type'> <meta content='IE=edge,chrome=1' http-equiv='X-UA-Compatible'> <meta content='width=device-width,initial-scale=1' name='viewport'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-57x57-78f4f4b87ac8ed844b6956a7674c7917.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='57x57'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-60x60-baeef6b0ff7698cde542ab23bfd1ac2e.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='60x60'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-72x72-afca3f570bb63d57879adf790092c142.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='72x72'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-76x76-83a240ca1213d07596638e2a88fb2ee0.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='76x76'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-114x114-448275f006a71b347beb5ebcf39ea7c6.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='114x114'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-120x120-c755d8111e0c6a637b20bb11746916d7.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='120x120'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-144x144-9411a2cca9812c2d8a93b2107d6bbb4f.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='144x144'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-152x152-54b1bcb657527af0ad2609696784139c.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='152x152'> <link href='/assets/favicon/apple-icon-180x180-568cddf25b1a49a216aa605077b21080.png' rel='apple-touch-icon' sizes='180x180'> <link href='/assets/favicon/android-icon-192x192-e7c2dc95a016d6eec9f1445176be076e.png' rel='icon' sizes='192x192' type='image/png'> <link href='/assets/favicon/favicon-32x32-e848538e81000c6ab1f14dfd377f21d7.png' rel='icon' sizes='32x32' type='image/png'> <link href='/assets/favicon/favicon-96x96-d2b6879752189dc947edd4ea59d46c34.png' rel='icon' sizes='96x96' type='image/png'> <link href='/assets/favicon/favicon-16x16-1801d16e258b8a8210ead9b42899ac2d.png' rel='icon' sizes='16x16' type='image/png'> <link href='/manifest.json' rel='manifest'> <meta content='#ffffff' name='msapplication-TileColor'> <meta content='/assets/favicon/ms-icon-144x144-9411a2cca9812c2d8a93b2107d6bbb4f.png' name='msapplication-TileImage'> <meta content='#ffffff' name='theme-color'> <meta content='LIGO Lab | Caltech' property='og:site_name'> <meta content='Look Deeper' property='og:title'> <meta content='Look Deeper' name='title'> <meta content='https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/system/pages/images/23/page/black_hole_public_domain_image.jpg?1432340442' property='og:image'> <meta content='https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/system/pages/images/23/page/black_hole_public_domain_image.jpg?1432340442' name='image'> <meta content='https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/look-deeper' property='og:url'> <meta content='website' property='og:type'> <meta content='Compiled content of “LIGO Science” and “LIGO Engineering” pages describing LIGO science and technology.' name='description'> <meta content='Compiled content of “LIGO Science” and “LIGO Engineering” pages describing LIGO science and technology.' property='og:description'> <link href="//fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=Open+Sans:300italic,400italic,700italic,400,300,700|Play" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <link href="/assets/application-07bcd3ad523a6fa1ea1cfa6e8ee24e1c.css" media="screen" rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" /> <meta content="authenticity_token" name="csrf-param" /> <meta content="sGUE2oT8QIBSqYAP0ENqChQBwJpCp3IeOJGLCecmPnc=" name="csrf-token" /> </head> <body class='site_color_amber'> <div class='flash_messages'> </div> <div class='ligo_bar'> <div class='container'> <div class='row'> <div class='span3'> <a href="/LA" class="current_partner">LIGO Livingston</a> </div> <div class='span6'> <div class='right other_ligo'> <a href="/WA">Hanford Observatory</a> <span> | </span> <a href="/">LIGO Caltech</a> <span> | </span> <a href="/MIT">LIGO MIT</a> </div> </div> <div class='span3'> <div class='input-prepend search_box'> <span class='add-on'> <i class='fa fa-search'></i> </span> <form accept-charset="UTF-8" action="/search" method="post"><div style="margin:0;padding:0;display:inline"><input name="utf8" type="hidden" value="✓" /><input name="authenticity_token" type="hidden" value="sGUE2oT8QIBSqYAP0ENqChQBwJpCp3IeOJGLCecmPnc=" /></div><input name='q' placeholder='Search LIGO Lab' type='text'> </form> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='header'> <div class='container'> <div class='row'> <div class='span12'> <div class='site_name'> <a href="/"><div class='signals left'> <img alt="Ligo_signals" src="/assets/ligo_signals-c600800835440c1e3722874dc29012d2.png" /> </div> <div class='acronym left'> LIGO </div> <div class='full_text left'> Laser Interferometer <br> Gravitational-Wave Observatory <div class='site_tag'> Supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation </div> <div class='site_tag'> Operated by Caltech and MIT </div> </div> </a><div class='clear'></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='navigation'> <div class='container'> <div class='row'> <div class='span12'> <a href="/LA/page/about" class="">About</a> <a href="/LA/page/learn-more" class="active">Learn More</a> <a href="/LA/news" class="">News</a> <a href="/LA/gallery" class="">Gallery</a> <a href="/LA/page/educational-resources" class="">Educational Resources</a> <a href="/LA/page/scientists" class="">For Scientists</a> <a href="/LA/page/study-work" class="">Study & Careers</a> <div class='clearfix'></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='navigation local_navigation'> <div class='container'> <div class='row'> <div class='span12'> <a href="/LA/page/Science-Education-Center" class="">Science Education Center</a> <a href="/LA/page/Tours" class="">For Public and Community</a> <a href="/LA/page/Educators" class="">For Educators </a> <a href="/LA/page/Working-Visitors" class="">Working Visitors</a> <a href="/LA/page/Local-Area" class="">Local Area</a> </div> <div class='clearfix'></div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='content'> <div class='container'> <div class='row'> <div class='page'> <div class='span4'> <div class='panel dark_color page_navigation'> <a href="/LA/page/ligo-gw-interferometer" class="">LIGO - A Gravitational-Wave Observatory</a> <a href="/LA/page/gravitational-waves" class="">All About Gravitational Waves</a> <a href="/LA/page/ligo-technology" class="">LIGO Technology</a> <a href="/LA/page/observatories-collaborations" class="">Global Collaboration</a> <a href="/LA/page/look-deeper" class="active">Look Deeper</a> <a href="/LA/page/laser" class="sub_navigation">LIGO's Laser</a> <a href="/LA/page/vacuum" class="sub_navigation">Ultra-High Vacuum</a> <a href="/LA/page/optics" class="sub_navigation">LIGO Optics</a> <a href="/LA/page/feedback" class="sub_navigation">Feedback and Control Systems</a> <a href="/LA/page/vibration-isolation" class="sub_navigation">Seismic Isolation</a> <div class='clearfix'></div> </div> </div> <div class='span8'> <div class='panel'> <div class='main_image'> <img alt="Black_hole_public_domain_image" class="image" src="/system/pages/images/23/page/black_hole_public_domain_image.jpg?1432340442" /> <p class='caption'> Looking into a black hole. (Image Credits: Ute Kraus, Physics education group, Universität Hildesheim, Space Time Travel. Background image of the Milky Way: Axel Mellinger) </p> </div> <h1> Look Deeper </h1> <div class='raw'> <p style="text-align: justify;">Comprising a pair of widely-separated ground-based gravitational wave detectors, the U.S. National Science Foundation Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (NSF LIGO) is a masterpiece of complex and sophisticated engineering. Super-stabilized lasers, enormous vacuum systems, the purest optics, unprecedented vibration isolation, and servo controls all work symbiotically for one singular purpose: To sense the ephemeral passage of a gravitational wave from the depths of space. The whole of NSF LIGO is so much greater than the sum of its individual parts. Nevertheless, LIGO’s parts are remarkable in and of themselves.</p> <p style="text-align: justify;">The links below describe some of LIGO's most important mechanical systems in greater detail. If you're already relatively familiar with how LIGO works, this is the place for you to delve ever deeper into LIGO's extraordinary engineering. For information on how LIGO's development has also spawned innovation across many industries, visit <a href="https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/page/technology-transfer" target="_blank">Technology Development and Migration</a></p> <ul> <li><a href="laser">LIGO's Laser</a></li> <li><a href="vacuum">Ultra-High Vacuum</a></li> <li><a href="optics">LIGO Optics</a></li> <li><a href="feedback">Feedback and Control Systems</a></li> <li><a href="vibration-isolation">Seismic Isolation</a></li> </ul> </div> <div class='clear'></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class='footer panel primary_color_light'> <div class='container'> <div class='row'> <div class='span6'> <div class='row'> <div class='span6'> <h6> <a href="/page/contact">Contact LIGO Livingston</a> </h6> <div class='location_details'> <p> Physical/shipping address: <br> 19100 LIGO Lane <br> Livingston, LA 70754 </p> </div> <div class='location_details'> <p> Postal address: <br> PO Box 940 <br> Livingston, LA 70754 </p> </div> <div class='location_details'> <p> Other Outreach Inquiries: <a href="mailto:%6f%75%74%72%65%61%63%68@%6c%69%67%6f-%6c%61.%63%61%6c%74%65%63%68.%65%64%75">Outreach Department</a> <br> </p> </div> <h6> Information: <a href="tel://2256863100">(225) 686-3100</a> </h6> </div> </div> <p class='policy_links'> <a href="/page/employment">Careers</a> </p> <p> <a href="/page/anti-harassment-statement">Anti-Harassment Policy</a> | <a href="/page/image-use-policy">Image Use Policy</a> | <a href="/page/privacy-policy">Privacy Policy</a> </p> </div> <div class='span6'> <div class='partner_logos'> <a href="http://www.nsf.gov/" alt="The U.S. National Science Foundation" title="The U.S. National Science Foundation"><img alt="Footer_nsf" src="/assets/logos/footer_nsf-b095d1e913dd555437f6682a15d70afb.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.caltech.edu" alt="California Institute of Technology" title="California Institute of Technology"><img alt="Footer_caltech" src="/assets/logos/footer_caltech-dffffad68d75521d67f82d4d77917573.png" /></a> <a href="http://www.mit.edu/" alt="Massachusetts Institute of Technology" title="Massachusetts Institute of Technology"><img alt="Footer_mit" src="/assets/logos/footer_mit-7e6fffaf2cde13a3af99772740d5df1d.png" /></a> </div> <div class='logo_details'> <p> The LIGO Laboratory is supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation award PHY-2309200 and <br> operated jointly by Caltech and MIT. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations <br> expressed in this material do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. National Science Foundation. </p> </div> <div class='partner_logos'> <a href="http://www.ligo.org/" alt="LIGO Scientific Collaboration" title="LIGO Scientific Collaboration"><img alt="Footer_lsc" height="48" src="/assets/logos/footer_lsc-f75e18cb88af4537a57f048612242fd5.png" width="80" /></a> <a href="http://www.virgo-gw.eu/" alt="VIRGO Homepage" title="VIRGO Homepage"><img alt="Footer_virgo" height="28" src="/assets/logos/footer_virgo-2668a383d8713db7632150294c630ea7.png" width="153" /></a> </div> <div class='logo_details'> <p> LIGO Laboratory is member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. <br> We observe and publish science with the Virgo Collaboration </p> </div> <div class='logo_details'> <p> <a href="http://ice.ipac.caltech.edu" target="_LIGO_lab">Website designed by IPAC Communications & Education Team</a> </p> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <script src="https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtag/js?id=G-L3MWB9F2S7" type="text/javascript"></script> <script> window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; function gtag(){dataLayer.push(arguments);} gtag('js', new Date()); gtag('config', 'G-L3MWB9F2S7'); </script> <script src="/assets/application-ee380013684e1a3491edffdc74bc9484.js" type="text/javascript"></script> </body> </html>