I am an instrumentalist. Gravitational-wave detectors sit at the forefront of precision instrumentation, and their operation presents a multitude of unique challenges. My main research focus is inertial sensing and seismic isolation. In particular, there are great opportunities in the application of laser-interferometers and novel materials that can reduce residual motion by more than a factor of 10 – like noise-cancelling headphones for seismic vibrations. If we realise such an isolation system it can become the baseline for the future Einstein Telescope, and may be fitted as an upgrade to the existing LIGO and Virgo detectors. Real gravitational-wave detectors have a multitude of different couplings between vibration and their main science measurements. It is my second major activity is modelling and understanding these noise couplings to help design the Einstein Telescope in a way that maximises our astrophysical reach.
Conor Mow-Lowry - (Astro-) Particle Physics - Department of Physics and Astronomy
Research Track record
Through a combination of R&D for future upgrades and direct commissioning efforts on-site, I have earned authorship on many gravitational-wave observation and instrumentation papers. My first contributions to the LIGO Scientific Collaboration were as an undergraduate prototyping novel interferometric sensing schemes and characterizing an optical spring. During my grad-student years I worked on many different aspects of detectors including the measurement of suspension thermal noise and the suppression of quantum noise. I briefly contributed to the Grace Follow-on mission developing an inter-satellite laser interferometer link.
