LEGOLAS: localizing evidence of gravitational waves by observations of light source astrometric signature

Alberto Riva; Deborah Busonero; Mario Gai; Maria Teresa Crosta; Alberto Vecchiato; Mario G. Lattanzi

doi:10.1117/12.857161

5 August 2010 LEGOLAS: localizing evidence of gravitational waves by observations of light source astrometric signature

Alberto Riva, Deborah Busonero, Mario Gai, Maria Teresa Crosta, Alberto Vecchiato, Mario G. Lattanzi

Proceedings Volume 7731, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave; 77311T (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857161
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2010, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Improvement of our understanding of Fundamental Physics is more and more based on high precision measurements over significant fractions of our Universe. Among the crucial tests of General Relativity and competing theories is the detection of gravitational waves, which is the subject of advanced modern experiments (LISA, VIRGO, LIGO). Our investigation is focused on a novel concept for pointed observations of selected astronomical objects in our Galaxy, like compact binary systems, neutron stars and compact white dwarf binaries, which are expected to be sources of gravitational waves in the Very Low Frequency range, i.e 10^-4 Hz < fg < 10^-1 Hz. The detection mechanism is based on indirect astrometric observations by a spaceborne dedicated instrument, monitoring the astrometric light deflection of the photons crossing the buffer zone of the gravitational source at the microarcsecond level accuracy. We discuss the class of potential candidates, the mission concept and its high level specifications; furthermore, we present an implementation concept including basic instrument characteristics (system configuration, telescope size and constraints, operating wavelength, detector, operation).

Citation Download Citation

Alberto Riva, Deborah Busonero, Mario Gai, Maria Teresa Crosta, Alberto Vecchiato, and Mario G. Lattanzi "LEGOLAS: localizing evidence of gravitational waves by observations of light source astrometric signature", Proc. SPIE 7731, Space Telescopes and Instrumentation 2010: Optical, Infrared, and Millimeter Wave, 77311T (5 August 2010); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.857161

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