Examination procedure
Seminar
Examination procedure notes
The topic of the final seminar will be agreed upon by the student and the lecturer.
Prerequisites
The course is designed for PhD and master students and does not require prior knowledge of General Relativity.
Syllabus
Introductory Lecture: Motivations for gravitational-wave (GW) research.
Basic Theory of Gravitational Waves: Weak-field solution of Einstein’s equations. Propagation of gravitational waves. Sources. Detection principle.
Interferometry: Michelson interferometer. A conceptual gravitational-wave detector.
Useful Mathematical Methods: Description of noise in the time and frequency domains.
Implementation of an Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Detector: Seismic noise, thermal noise, quantum noise. Optical cavities: Fabry–Perot, power recycling, signal recycling.
Control Systems: Basic theory of control systems. Control of a pendulum. Control of an optical cavity: Pound–Drever–Hall technique. Interferometer locking.
Technologies: Vibration isolation, suspensions, mirrors, coatings, squeezing.
Data Analysis Techniques: Coalescing binary systems, bursts, periodic sources. Bayesian inference.
Scientific Results in Gravitational-Wave Physics: GW150914, GW170817, and their implications. Runs O3 and O4: from exceptional events to population studies.
Multimessenger Astronomy
Cosmology and Fundamental Physics with Gravitational Waves
Third-Generation Detectors: LISA and Einstein Telescope. Scientific goals, technologies.
Outlook
Bibliographical references
P.R. Saulson - Fundamentals of interferometric GW detectors - World Scientific
M. Maggiore - Gravitational Waves - Oxford
D. Reitze, P.R. Saulson, H. Grote eds. - Advanced interferometric GW detectors - World Scientific
M. Bassan (ed.) - Advanced interferometers and the search for GW - Springer
Papers proposed by the lecturer