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The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO)
The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) project, scheduled for initial operation in 2000, aims to detect and study gravitational waves from astrophysical sources by precision interferometry between suspended test bodies over four-kilometer baselines. The required sensitivity, better than 10-18/m, places extreme demands on the performance of the optical systems, especially mirrors and lasers.
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