arXiv subjects

Volker Quetschke

Publications and source records attributed to Volker Quetschke.

8 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

Site selection for the Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA)

The Earth's Moon presents a uniquely advantageous environment for detecting astrophysical gravitational waves (GWs), particularly in the decihertz regime. The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) project plans to perform GW measurements on the lunar surface, using the Moon's seismic quietness to access this band. Two mission concepts are considered: the proof-of-concept 1 km initial LILA (iLILA) and the full LILA Observatory, whose equilateral arms are at least 40 km long. The Moon's changing orientation and orbital motion provide the time-dependent source modulation needed for sky localization, so the detector response does not impose a unique lunar region. Practical considerations, most critically line of sight (LOS), nevertheless constrain deployment. A coarse-to-fine search of existing lunar datasets identifies and ranks candidate grid locations. Of 4,050 global grid seeds, 434 iLILA seeds and 71 Observatory circumcenters pass both search stages. These results demonstrate that sites suitable for GW detection naturally exist in large numbers on the lunar surface.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2026

deci-Hz Gravitational Wave Observations on the Moon and Beyond

This document summarizes talks and discussions from the workshop "deci-Hz Gravitational Wave Observations on the Moon and Beyond" that took place at Johns Hopkins University between September 1 and September 3, 2025. The workshop focused on experimental proposals to observe gravitational waves in the deci-Hz band, including lunar detectors, laser interferometers in space, and atom interferometry; gravitational wave sources in the deci-Hz frequency band; and the multi-messenger and multi-band astronomy that would be enabled by these observations.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Potential for Lunar Interior Science by the Gravitational-Wave Detector LILA

The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA), a concept for measuring sub-Hz gravitational waves on the Moon, would use laser strainmeters to obtain extremely sensitive strain measurements from 1 mHz to 1 Hz. With proposed strain sensitivities, LILA would also be able to measure the normal modes of the Moon from 1-10 mHz at high signal-to-noise ratio. Such measurements would enable significant advances in our understanding of both the spherically symmetric and even 3D deep internal structure of the Moon. Strainmeter measurements may even be able to detect the translational mode of the solid inner core of the Moon at frequencies below 0.1 mHz. Inertial seismometers, on the other hand, are unlikely to reach the performance of $\sim10^{-16}$ m/s$^2$/$\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$ required to reliably detect normal modes below 5-10 mHz, even with optimistic assumptions on future projected performance.

physics.geo-ph↗

arXiv2025

Fundamental Noise and Gravitational-Wave Sensitivity of the Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA)

The Earth's Moon presents a uniquely advantageous environment for detecting astrophysical gravitational waves (GWs) in the frequency range of millihertz to decihertz. Unlike Terrestrial GW detectors, the quiet seismic environment of the Moon does not impede detection in this band; in fact the ground motions of the Moon will be excited by GWs, making the Moon a resonant amplifier at low frequencies. The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) mission aims to be limited by thermal Brownian noise in its optics across most target frequencies. By taking advantage of the lunar normal mode resonances, we show that the first phase of the mission, LILA Pioneer, achieves the GW sensitivity required to study astrophysical sources through the millihertz to decihertz range. The advanced phase of the mission, LILA Horizon, would increase GW sensitivity to the cosmological horizon in this band.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2025

Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA): Advancing the U.S. Priorities in Gravitational-wave and Lunar Science

The Laser Interferometer Lunar Antenna (LILA) is a next-generation gravitational-wave (GW) facility on the Moon. By harnessing the Moon's unique environment, LILA fills a critical observational gap in the mid-band GW spectrum ($0.1 - 10$ Hz) between terrestrial detectors (LIGO, Virgo, KAGRA) and the future space mission LISA. Observations enabled by LILA will fundamentally transform multi-messenger astrophysics and GW probes of fundamental physics. LILA will measure the lunar deep interior better than any existing planetary seismic instruments. The LILA mission is designed for phased development aligned with capabilities of the U.S.'s Commercial Lunar Payload Services and Artemis programs. LILA is a unique collaboration between universities, space industries, U.S. government laboratories, and international partners.

gr-qc↗

arXiv2020

A Cryogenic Silicon Interferometer for Gravitational-wave Detection

The detection of gravitational waves from compact binary mergers by LIGO has opened the era of gravitational wave astronomy, revealing a previously hidden side of the cosmos. To maximize the reach of the existing LIGO observatory facilities, we have designed a new instrument that will have 5 times the range of Advanced LIGO, or greater than 100 times the event rate. Observations with this new instrument will make possible dramatic steps toward understanding the physics of the nearby universe, as well as observing the universe out to cosmological distances by the detection of binary black hole coalescences. This article presents the instrument design and a quantitative analysis of the anticipated noise floor.

astro-ph.IM↗

arXiv2016

The Advanced LIGO Input Optics

The Advanced LIGO gravitational wave detectors are nearing their design sensitivity and should begin taking meaningful astrophysical data in the fall of 2015. These resonant optical interferometers will have unprecedented sensitivity to the strains caused by passing gravitational waves. The input optics play a significant part in allowing these devices to reach such sensitivities. Residing between the pre-stabilized laser and the main interferometer, the input optics is tasked with preparing the laser beam for interferometry at the sub-attometer level while operating at continuous wave input power levels ranging from 100 mW to 150 W. These extreme operating conditions required every major component to be custom designed. These designs draw heavily on the experience and understanding gained during the operation of Initial LIGO and Enhanced LIGO. In this article we report on how the components of the input optics were designed to meet their stringent requirements and present measurements showing how well they have lived up to their design.

physics.ins-det↗

arXiv2011

Near-field radiative heat transfer between macroscopic planar surfaces

Near-field radiative heat transfer allows heat to propagate across a small vacuum gap in quantities that are several orders of magnitude greater then the heat transfer by far-field, blackbody radiation. Although heat transfer via near-field effects has been discussed for many years, experimental verification of this theory has been very limited. We have measured the heat transfer between two macroscopic sapphire plates, finding an increase in agreement with expectations from theory. These experiments, conducted near 300 K, have measured the heat transfer as a function of separation over mm to $μ$m and as a function of temperature differences between 2.5 and 30 K. The experiments demonstrate that evanescence can be put to work to transfer heat from an object without actually touching it.

physics.optics↗