First results of a high sensitivity and transportable Ring Laser Gyroscope
Within the GINGER project, aimed at installing an array of large frame ring laser gyroscopes for fundamental physics tests and as part of a geophysics observatory located in the underground laboratory at Gran Sasso, Italy (LNGS-INFN), we are developing a ring laser gyroscope design to reduce spurious rotation of instrumental origin and the ability to extend the cavity side length from 1.5 up to 5 m, thanks to the implementation of suitable spacers. The new design led to a prototype, called TRIO, with a side length of 1.52 m, conceived as a transportable instrument. The present paper reports on several preliminary measurements of the Earth angular velocity carried out with TRIO. Results have the twofold objective to assess the instrument performance in the present geometrical configuration and to test validity of the design in view of the GINGER project. To this aim, data obtained with TRIO are compared with typical data acquired with other, previously made, gyroscope prototypes, including the large frame GINGERINO already in operation at the Gran Sasso underground site.