Tour of the LIGO Hanford Facility
At seven o’clock on a November morning in 2023, we began to gather in the student lounge, groggy-eyed and with sack lunches in hand. Our group was gearing up to drive across the state to Hanford, Washington, site of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory—and many amazing scientific discoveries. About a month of planning had led up to this point, during which our University of Washington SPS officers recruited drivers, reserved cars, secured funding, purchased snacks, and more. It was finally time to embark on our journey.
Around 30 students and a graduate student supervisor buzzed with excitement as we loaded into four university minivans and two personal cars. As we passed over the mountains, crossed the Columbia River, drove onto flat land as far as the eye could see, and had lunch in a cozy cafe, we conversed and bonded with our fellow carpoolers.
Finally, our caravan pulled up to LIGO and was met by a sparse and barren environment reminiscent of a tumbleweed scene from the Old West. This is a prime spot for gravitational wave research because the geography minimizes the effects of noise pollution and is flat enough that sensors can stretch for miles in any direction.
Inside, we rushed to see neat visualizations of awe-inspiring facts about gravitational waves. One display, a projected gravitational field, changed as students (masses) stepped within the projected range. Other wave displays brought students back to their introductory physics courses, where many similar wave demos were used in class.
Next, Michael Landry, head of the LIGO Hanford Observatory, gave a presentation about the lab’s work. He did a wonderful job answering all of the group’s deep and ponderous questions, especially considering that the members in attendance had varying levels of background knowledge.
Following the presentation, we went to the control room, where signals from the detector are displayed in real time. The displays command the room, taking up almost all of the wall space in a fashion similar to NASA’s Mission Control Center. Scientists there talked through their daily activities. They also detailed the procedure for a notable gravitational wave event, where they and their sister detector in Livingston tune in closely to the monitors and look for notable disturbances.
Our next stop was the break room, where students met a recent hire just out of college. This was particularly inspiring, since the graduate’s path is one that can be pursued with just a bachelor’s degree in physics and astronomy. The employee painted a picture of work that appears both exciting and fulfilling.
Lastly, we went on a walk to view the extent of the detector’s arms. Since it is an interferometer, it takes measurements based on slight differences in the lengths of two perpendicular arms. The arms of LIGO’s detectors stretch an astounding 2.5 miles into Hanford’s barren expanse. At this point we asked all the questions the tour had brought to mind. As we walked back to the lobby, the barrage of questions continued, so much so that they had to be cut off prematurely so we could get back at a reasonable hour.
This all-day trip, though exhausting, was a huge success! SPS officers were ecstatic that such hard work had paid off, and all of the students left with more knowledge and friends than they had had at the start of the day. We definitely plan to hold similar events in years to come.
