KAGRA
The Kamioka Gravitational Wave Detector (KAGRA) is a large interferometer designed to detect gravitational waves predicted by the general theory of relativity. KAGRA is a Michelson interferometer that is isolated from external disturbances: its mirrors and instrumentation are suspended and its laser beam operates in a vacuum. The instrument's two arms are three kilometres long and located underground at the Kamioka Observatory which is near the Kamioka section of the city of Hida in Gifu Prefecture, Japan.
| Alternative names | KAGRA |
|---|---|
| Part of | Kamioka Observatory |
| Location(s) | Hida, Gifu Prefecture, Japan |
| Coordinates | 36°24′43″N 137°18′21″E |
| Organization | Institute for Cosmic Ray Research |
| Altitude | 414 m (1,358 ft) |
| Telescope style | gravitational-wave observatory observatory |
| Length | 3,000 m (9,842 ft 6 in) |
| Website | gwcenter |
Location of KAGRA | |
| Related media on Commons | |
KAGRA is a project of the gravitational wave studies group at the Institute for Cosmic Ray Research (ICRR) of the University of Tokyo. It became operational on 25 February 2020, when it began data collection. It is Asia's first gravitational wave observatory, the first in the world built underground, and the first whose detector uses cryogenic mirrors. It is expected to have an operational sensitivity equal to, or greater than, LIGO and Virgo.
The Kamioka Observatory specializes in the detection of neutrinos, dark matter and gravitational waves, and has other important instruments, including Super Kamiokande, XMASS and NEWAGE. KAGRA is a laser interferometric gravitational wave detector. It is near the neutrino physics experiments.
The collaboration of LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA started its current observation run (O4) on 24 May 2023. KAGRA ended its first observation run on 21 April 2020.