Last Modified: 2002 October 21
Charlie Torres / charlie@phys.utb.edu
The ALLEGRO Resonant-Mass Gravitational Wave Detector
Dr. Ik Siong Heng, Louisiana State University
There are currently 5 cryogenic resonant-mass gravitational wave detectors committed to long-term operation around the world. One such detector is ALLEGRO located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. ALLEGRO began operating in 1991 and, apart from a two year upgrade period, was online until March 2000, when it ceased operation for laboratory renovations. During this period, it reached a sensitivity capable of detecting a burst gravitational wave from a supernova occurring within the Milky Way. As a member of the International Gravitational Event Collaboration (IGEC), the ALLEGRO detector group is working with the worldwide network of resonant-mass gravitational wave detectors to search for burst gravitational waves. In this talk, an overview of the ALLEGRO detector and its involvement with the IGEC will be presented. Also, the results of a search for burst gravitational waves performed in 1999 will also be discussed.