Gravitational wave-related images

by Wm. Robert Johnston
last modified 1 April 2005

The following images are ones I've made which are related to gravitational wave physics and astronomy. They are collected here for free use by others in presentations and other unpublished work. I additionally give permission for use in publications not-for-profit, although you may want to contact me for a higher quality version. Regarding use in for-profit publications, please contact me.

Illustration of effect of gravitational waves on test masses.
Animation (.gif) of spatial distortion from a plus-polarized gravitational wave traveling perpendicular to the computer screen.
Animation (.gif) of a cross-polarized gravitational wave.
Animation (.gif) of a circularly-polarized gravitational wave.
Schematic of an interferometer gravitational wave detector such as LIGO. Numbers indicate laser (1), optics (2), beam splitter (3), recycling mirrors (4), end mirrors (5), and detector (6).
Schematic of an interferometer gravitational wave detector, labeled.
Sunset over LIGO-Hanford in Washington state.
Tumbleweed at LIGO-Hanford, with one arm in the background.
Panoramic mosaic of the LIGO-Hanford facility.
Interior of the LVEA at LIGO-Livingston, Lousiana, taken in summer 2001.
View along one arm of LIGO-Livingston.
Graph of strain PSD for noise floor of various gravitational-wave detectors.
Graph of strain PSD for noise floor of various gravitational-wave detectors, IFOs only.
Graph of strain PSD for noise floor of various gravitational-wave detectors.
Graph of strain PSD for predicted/modeled gravity gradient noise for LIGO-Livingston, compared to Advanced LIGO sensitivity.