Seismic activity refers to the movement of the Earth's crust, which can cause vibrations and disturbances. This can affect LIGO by creating background noise and interfering with the precision of the instruments.
LIGO uses a technique called interferometry, which involves splitting a laser beam and sending it down two perpendicular arms that are several kilometers long. When a gravitational wave passes through, it causes a minute stretching and squeezing of space, which is detected by the laser beams.
Detecting gravitational waves provides evidence for the existence of black holes and other phenomena predicted by Einstein's theory of general relativity. It also opens up a new window for studying the universe and understanding its origins.
Quantum gravity is a theory that aims to unify the principles of quantum mechanics and general relativity. LIGO's research on gravitational waves can provide insights into the behavior of gravity at a quantum level, helping us better understand the fundamental workings of the universe.
LIGO is constantly upgrading its technology and expanding its network of detectors around the world. In the future, it aims to increase its sensitivity to detect even smaller gravitational waves and potentially discover new sources of these waves, such as merging neutron stars and black holes.