Speaker
Description
Gravitational wave (GW) astronomy has entered a new era with the direct detection of acoustic-band GW signals by laser interferometers. As with the electromagnetic spectrum, observing gravitational waves in a range of different frequency bands will yield complementary insights into the astrophysics of gravitating objects. Gravitational waves at micro-hertz to milli-hertz frequencies can be detected using an array of optical atomic clocks on satellites, by leveraging the extreme precision available with such clocks. This method affords a technologically feasible approach to imaging the universe in a novel GW band. To unlock this possibility, we are developing compact optical atomic clocks for eventual use on board satellites. In this talk, I will describe the method of GW detection using optical atomic clocks, and present our efforts towards realizing a portable optical clock.
