Jonathan Richardson leads team to fix LIGO laser heating distortions
LIGO, the observatory famous for catching ripples in space-time, is set to get a smart upgrade.
Scientists already knew that heat from powerful lasers was subtly warping its mirrors, making it harder to spot events like black hole mergers.
Led by Jonathan Richardson at UC Riverside, the team tackled these tiny distortions so LIGO will be able to listen better for cosmic signals.
Imaging and modeling extend LIGO reach
By combining infrared imaging and computer modeling, researchers mapped out exactly how the mirrors were bending.
With this information, they made targeted heat fixes that will boost LIGO's sensitivity.
The new method rolls out in the next upgrade, letting LIGO detect events 33 million light-years farther away.
It'll also help Cosmic Explorer, the next-generation US observatory planned for the 2030s, spot even more epic space happenings.