INDIGO

INDIGO, or IndIGO (Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations) is a consortium of Indian gravitational-wave physicists.[1] This is an initiative to set up advanced experimental facilities for a multi-institutional observatory project in gravitational-wave astronomy. Since 2009, the IndIGO Consortium has been involved in constructing the Indian roadmap for gravitational-wave astronomy and a phased strategy towards Indian participation in realizing a gravitational-wave observatory in the Asia-Pacific region. IndIGO is the Indian partner (along with the LIGO Laboratory in USA) in planning the proposed LIGO-India project. LIGO-India is a proposed advanced gravitational-wave detector to be located in India, whose concept proposal is now under active consideration by the science funding agencies in India and USA.[2]

Activities

IndIGO consortium has spearheaded the proposal for the LIGO-India gravitational-wave observatory, in association with the LIGO laboratory in USA. In addition to the LIGO-India project, the other activities of IndIGO involve facilitating international collaborations in gravitational-wave- physics and astronomy, initiating a strong experimental gravitational-wave research program in India, training of students and young scientists, etc.[3]

Organization and membership

IndIGO has currently over 70 member scientists. 11 Indian institutions are nodal institutions of IndIGO. Bala Iyer of Raman Research Institute is the Chairperson and Tarun Souradeep of Inter University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics is the Spokesperson. The international advisory committee is chaired by noted theoretical physicist Abhay Ashtekar and has members from several international as well as Indian research institutions.

References

  1. ↑ IndIGO home page: http://www.gw-indigo.org/
  2. ↑ http://gw-indigo.org/ligo-india
  3. ↑ http://www.gw-indigo.org/goals