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Institute for Gravitational Research

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    Professor Sir James Hough

    Professor Sir James Hough awarded the Bakerian Medal and Lecture

    The Royal Society has awarded the Bakerian Medal and Lecture to Professor Sir James Hough OBE FRS for his world-leading work on suspensions systems for the test masses used in laser interferometry, pivotal to the successful detection of gravitational waves.

    The Royal Society has awarded the Bakerian Medal and Lecture to Professor Sir James Hough OBE FRS for his world-leading work on suspensions systems for the test masses used in laser interferometry, pivotal to the successful detection of gravitational waves.
    Rainer Weiss, Barry Barish and Kip Thorne.

    2017 Nobel Prize in Physics Public Lecture

    A public lecture from Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne at the The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

    A public lecture from Rainer Weiss, Barry C. Barish and Kip S. Thorne at the The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.
    Artist’s illustration of two merging neutron stars (NSF/LIGO/Sonoma State University/Aurore Simonnet)

    GW170817: The first cosmic event observed in both gravitational waves and light.

    For the first time, scientists have directly detected gravitational waves in addition to light from the spectacular collision of two neutron stars. The discovery was made by the LIGO and Virgo detectors, together with some 70 ground- and space-based observatories.

    For the first time, scientists have directly detected gravitational waves in addition to light from the spectacular collision of two neutron stars. The discovery was made by the LIGO and Virgo detectors, together with some 70 ground- and space-based observatories.
    Dr. Alan Cumming preparing the glass fibres that hold the mirrors of the LIGO Observatories.

    Getting ready to listen to the Universe

    Dr. Alan Cumming of the University of Glasgow, UK, preparing the delicate ultra-pure glass fibres that hold the mirrors of the LIGO Observatories. These instruments made the first detections of gravitational waves in 2015 - starting an entirely new field in astrophysics.

    Dr. Alan Cumming of the University of Glasgow, UK, preparing the delicate ultra-pure glass fibres that hold the mirrors of the LIGO Observatories. These instruments made the first detections of gravitational waves in 2015 - starting an entirely new field in astrophysics.
    Image of MEMS gravimeter

    Glasgow designed MEMS gravimeter featured in Nature.

    Staff from the IGR have made the first microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gravimeter. It has been used to measure the Earth tides, the elastic deformation of the Earth's crust due to the Sun and Moon's gravitational pull. This result is the topic of a Nature paper published on March 2016.

    Staff from the IGR have made the first microelectromechanical system (MEMS) gravimeter. It has been used to measure the Earth tides, the elastic deformation of the Earth's crust due to the Sun and Moon's gravitational pull. This result is the topic of a Nature paper published on March 2016.
    Page two of the PRL 116, 061102 (2006)

    First detection of gravitational waves published

    Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger
    B.P. Abbott et al. (LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 061102 (2016)

    Observation of Gravitational Waves from a Binary Black Hole Merger
    B.P. Abbott et al. (LIGO Scientific Collaboration and Virgo Collaboration), Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 061102 (2016)
    Scottish and UK newspapers on Feb 11, 2016

    Gravitational waves in the news

    A selection of news articles about Gravitational Waves and the IGR.

    A selection of news articles about Gravitational Waves and the IGR.
    Colliding Black Holes

    Gravitational Astrophysics

    The detection of gravitational radiation has initiated a whole new branch of astronomy: observational gravitational astrophysics. The Institute for Gravitational Research is at the forefront of exploring this new and exciting field.

    A LIGO optics technician inspects one of LIGO’s core optics (mirrors) by illuminating its surface with light at a glancing angle.

    Detectors

    The IGR leads research contributing to:

    • Advanced LIGO
    • GEO600
    • LISA

    and informs the design of future detectors. IGR-developed enabling technology includes:

    • Quasi-monolithic Suspensions
    • Signal Recycling
    MEMS Gravimeter

    Knowledge Exchange and Public Outreach

    As with other cutting edge scientific endeavours, the work that we do can lead to technology that is useful in industry and beyond.

    • Examples of our wider impact

    We have a rich and vibrant outreach programme across schools, science festivals and the public in Scotland and beyond.

    • Examples of our outreach
    The Kelvin Building

    The Institute

    The Institute for Gravitational Research, supported by STFC funding, is focused on gravitational astrophysics, enabled by gravitational wave detector technology, and analysis of gravitational wave signals.

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    Hexapod

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    In the News

    • 17-Mar-22

      Seattle-area high school senior awarded $250,000 for gravitational wave research

      geekwire.com
    • 16-Mar-22

      How a new kind of gravitational wave will reveal the early universe

      New Scientist
    • 27-Jan-22

      Strange gravitational wave echoes may let us probe dark matter

      New Scientist
    • 11-Jan-22

      Two black holes merged to form a huge one moving at incredible speeds

      New Scientist
    Full listings...
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