Date:  Wednesday 27 February 2019
Speaker:  Jonathan Coleman (Liverpool)
Title:  "Atom Interferometry for gravitational wave searches, MAGIS-100"


Abstract:

Here we describe next-generation instruments that use light-pulse atom interferometry to search for physics 
beyond the standard model. We propose to search for dark matter and new forces, and to test quantum mechanics 
at new distance scales. To maximize the sensitivity of the experiment, we will use the latest advances in atomic 
clock technologies. The experiment will be a significant step towards developing a 1000 m baseline detector, 
with sufficient sensitivity to detect gravitational waves in the `mid-band' from 0.1 Hz - 10 Hz, between the 
Advanced LIGO and LISA experiments. 
 
MAGIS-100, to be built and installed at Fermilab uses the existing 100 m vertical NuMI access shaft.  The recently 
proposed AION program utilizes the know-how and expertise from the MAGIS experiment to develop a further detector. 
Allowing the two detectors to run synchronously provides common-mode background rejection (including improved 
sky-location and timing) in all detection scenarios.
 
Here we describe an overview of the experiments, the physics reach and their timelines.