Gravitational Wave Astronomy

Long baseline laser interferometer gravitational wave detectors should produce the first direct detection of gravitational waves by the end of this decade opening a new astronomical window. The Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA) is developing key instrumentation and data analysis techniques for interferometer type detectors and is a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration.

ACIGA consists of researchers from the ANU, UWA, UAdelaide, Monash and ECU. ACIGA runs a research facility at Gingin in W.A., jointly with the US LIGO project. It is anticipated that this site will eventually host the southern hemisphere node of a future global gravity wave observatory.