Challenges and opportunities of gravitational-wave searches at MHz to GHz frequencies

Aggarwal, N. et al. (2021) Challenges and opportunities of gravitational-wave searches at MHz to GHz frequencies. Living Reviews in Relativity, 24, p. 4. (doi: 10.1007/s41114-021-00032-5)

Abstract

The first direct measurement of gravitational waves by the LIGO and Virgo collaborations has opened up new avenues to explore our Universe. This white paper outlines the challenges and gains expected in gravitational-wave searches at frequencies above the LIGO/Virgo band, with a particular focus on Ultra High-Frequency Gravitational Waves (UHF-GWs), covering the MHz to GHz range. The absence of known astrophysical sources in this frequency range provides a unique opportunity to discover physics beyond the Standard Model operating both in the early and late Universe, and we highlight some of the most promising gravitational sources. We review several detector concepts that have been proposed to take up this challenge, and compare their expected sensitivity with the signal strength predicted in various models. This report is the summary of the workshop “Challenges and opportunities of high-frequency gravitational wave detection” held at ICTP Trieste, Italy in October 2019, that set up the stage for the recently launched Ultra-High-Frequency Gravitational Wave (UHF-GW) initiative.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Ultra-high-frequency gravitational waves, cosmological gravitational waves, gravitational wave detectors, fundamental physics with gravitational waves.
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Steinlechner, Dr Sebastian and Steinlechner, Dr Jessica
• Authors: Aggarwal, N., Aguiar, O. D., Bauswein, A., Cella, G., Clesse, S., Cruise, A. M., Domcke, V., Figueroa, D. G., Geraci, A., Goryachev, M., Grote, H., Hindmarsh, M., Muia, F., Mukund, N., Ottaway, D., Peloso, M., Quevedo, F., Ricciardone, A., Steinlechner, J., Steinlechner, S., Sun, S., Tobar, M. E., Torrenti, F., Ünal, C., and White, G.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
• Journal Name: Living Reviews in Relativity
• Publisher: Springer
• ISSN: 1433-8351
• Published Online: 06 December 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 The Authors
• First Published: First published in Living Reviews in Relativity 24: 4
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced under a Creative Commons License