Ligo Heat Dissipation: How Do They Protect Mirrors?

In summary, the conversation discusses the challenge of dissipating heat from the high-powered lasers used in LIGO. The mirrors in the setup heat up due to the lasers, but the vacuum environment makes it difficult to remove the heat. To prevent damage to the mirrors, the laser cavity power is 100 kW, but the mirrors have a high reflectivity which only absorbs 0.1W. The heat is then dissipated through radiation to the surroundings, keeping the mirrors at a temperature of 17C. The conversation also mentions a paper and a link for further reading on thermal modeling of LIGO test masses.
  • #1
kelly0303
561
33
Hello! I am not sure I understand how the heat from the lasers get dissipated in LIGO, at the mirrors. Given the high power of the lasers, the mirrors heat up, but the setup is in vacuum, so it is difficult to get rid of that heat. How do they make sure that the mirrors don't get too much damage because of the heat? Thank you!
 
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  • #2
Here's an interesting paper on this if you are interested. The laser cavity power is 100 kW, but the refectivity of the mirrors is very high (1.0 - 1ppm), so the power absorbed by the mirror is only 0.1W. This is dissipated by radiation to the surroundings, and the mirrors stay at about 17C.

<Moderator's note: attachment deleted>
 
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  • #3
Unfortunately, that article is copyrighted and cannot be posted here.

Instead, see the link:
Thermal modelling of Advanced LIGO test masses - https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6382/aa6e60
 

1. How does Ligo heat dissipation protect mirrors?

Ligo heat dissipation uses a combination of active and passive cooling techniques to remove excess heat from the mirrors. This helps to prevent thermal distortion and maintain the stability of the mirrors, which is crucial for accurate measurements.

2. What are the active cooling techniques used in Ligo heat dissipation?

The active cooling techniques used in Ligo include circulating chilled water through pipes near the mirrors, using heat exchangers to transfer heat to the environment, and using thermoelectric coolers to remove heat directly from the mirrors.

3. How does Ligo prevent thermal distortion of the mirrors?

Ligo uses a system of sensors and actuators to constantly monitor and adjust the position of the mirrors. This helps to compensate for any thermal expansion or contraction, ensuring that the mirrors maintain their precise alignment.

4. What are the benefits of using Ligo heat dissipation in gravitational wave detectors?

By protecting the mirrors from excess heat, Ligo helps to maintain the sensitivity and accuracy of gravitational wave detectors. This allows for more precise measurements of gravitational waves, leading to a better understanding of the universe.

5. How effective is Ligo heat dissipation in protecting mirrors?

Ligo heat dissipation has been proven to be highly effective in protecting mirrors from thermal distortion. It has been used successfully in the Ligo detectors to detect multiple gravitational wave events, demonstrating its reliability and effectiveness.

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