<p>Currently, LIGO and Virgo are in what's known as a <a href="https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/news/ligo20180921" rel="noreferrer">commissioning phase</a>, a scheduled stage where the teams work on improving the sensitivity of the detectors. A big part of this is noise reduction, but there are other technical updates (<a href="https://arxiv.org/abs/1304.0670" rel="noreferrer">an evolving plan</a> also mentions increasing the power of the lasers and adding a "squeezed vacuum source"). Virgo in particular is <a href="https://cplberry.com/2018/06/16/1304-0670-2-the-explosioning/" rel="noreferrer">replacing the steel fibers that hold up their mirrors with silica ones</a>. The original silica fibers failed and were replaced with steel ones before last year's detection of GW170817, but now new silica ones are being added.</p>

<p>As of October, <a href="https://www.ligo.org/scientists/GWEMalerts.php" rel="noreferrer">the Livingston site has reached low noise levels, while Hanford is still a bit away</a>. Virgo isn't quite there yet. Soon, though, the three detectors should begin a couple of joint <a href="https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/news/ligo20180921" rel="noreferrer">engineering runs</a>, testing the hardware updates before O3 (the third, year-long, observing session) begins in February.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-12T19:47:16.523Z
2018-11-12T19:47:16.523Z
HDE 226868
<p>Gravitational wave detectors <a href="https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201710/virgo.cfm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">VIRGO and LIGO</a> are currently down for some updates, slated to be completed sometime early next year (they hope). What exactly are they doing? I hadn't heard it was down again after the last set of updates awhile ago. What are they updating now-- is that knowledge public domain?</p>

<p><strong>Source:</strong> I went to an astronomy club meeting and it was stated in the presentation.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2018-11-12T18:49:24.917Z
https://www.ligo.org/scientists/GWEMalerts.php
Daddy Kropotkin
<gravitational-waves>
What changes are being made to VIRGO and LIGO (if any)?
Magic Octopus Urn
# What changes are being made to VIRGO and LIGO (if any)?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2018-11-12)

Gravitational wave detectors [VIRGO and LIGO](https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201710/virgo.cfm) are currently down for some updates, slated to be completed sometime early next year (they hope). What exactly are they doing? I hadn't heard it was down again after the last set of updates awhile ago. What are they updating now-- is that knowledge public domain?

**Source:** I went to an astronomy club meeting and it was stated in the presentation.

**Tags:** gravitational-waves
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: https://www.ligo.org/scientists/GWEMalerts.php  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2018-11-12. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

Currently, LIGO and Virgo are in what's known as a [commissioning phase](https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/news/ligo20180921), a scheduled stage where the teams work on improving the sensitivity of the detectors. A big part of this is noise reduction, but there are other technical updates ([an evolving plan](https://arxiv.org/abs/1304.0670) also mentions increasing the power of the lasers and adding a "squeezed vacuum source"). Virgo in particular is [replacing the steel fibers that hold up their mirrors with silica ones](https://cplberry.com/2018/06/16/1304-0670-2-the-explosioning/). The original silica fibers failed and were replaced with steel ones before last year's detection of GW170817, but now new silica ones are being added.

As of October, [the Livingston site has reached low noise levels, while Hanford is still a bit away](https://www.ligo.org/scientists/GWEMalerts.php). Virgo isn't quite there yet. Soon, though, the three detectors should begin a couple of joint [engineering runs](https://www.ligo.caltech.edu/news/ligo20180921), testing the hardware updates before O3 (the third, year-long, observing session) begins in February.


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