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This question intended for those that may have personally worked on LIGO and are knowledgeable about its detailed systems architecture.

I understand that LIGO basically uses a Michelson-Morley type interferometers with Fabry-Perot cavities that effectively extend the length of the arms for greater sensitivity as briefly described here. And I've read that there are many types of systems that isolate LIGO from earth bound thermal and vibrational disturbances.

But to help eliminate these disturbances can LIGO can be 'tuned' to a specific band of frequency; one that is expected to be characteristic of a cosmic event that would generate gravitational waves? Is LIGO designed as a bandpass instrument? And if so, what is the range of the passband?

And a related question - does LIGO use methods of active noise control by using other external sensors?

Is there a link or publication where I can learn more about the detailed noise control systems on LIGO?

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    $\begingroup$ You would enjoy reading the LIGO instrumentation papers. $\endgroup$
    – rob ♦
    Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 15:30
  • $\begingroup$ The aLIGO web pages discuss both active and passive noise reduction. Probably not detailed enough - but the LIGO instrument papers surely are. $\endgroup$
    – ProfRob
    Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 18:13
  • $\begingroup$ There is no characteristic frequency that you would wish to observe. LIGO needs to listen for chirps that occur across a wide frequency band and chirps are expected at all frequencies LIGO is sensitive to. $\endgroup$
    – ProfRob
    Commented Oct 17, 2016 at 18:16

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