Site for LIGO-India
An Indo-US joint mega-project concept proposal
by IndIGO Consortium
(Indian Initiative in Gravitational-wave Observations)
Tarun Souradeep
IUCAA
(Spokesperson, IndIGO)
IPR Meeting
Feb 3, 2012
LIGO-India Time-line
2012 - 2013
2014 - 2015
Site survey, measurements, validation, selection and
acquisition
Site preparation, Design and Drawings for Buildings, Tendering
for Civil infrastructure, construction of Central and End stations.
2012 - 2015
On site training and participation at LIGO-USA during initial
phases of LIGO-USA assembly and tests.
2012- 2013
Update and finalization of drawings for UHV systems,
Preparation of infrastructure for fabrication & tests, Establishing
protocols and processes for fabrication.
2014 - 2017
Fabrication of spiral welded tubes and main UHV End stations
2015 - 2016
Shipping of LIGO components from LIGO-USA
2016
Start of LIGO-India interferometer assembly
2016 - 2018
2018 - 2019
2019 - 2020
LIGO-India integration, tests and validation
Locked operation of the detector and tuning to aimed sensitivity.
Science Runs and regular Operation of LIGO-India
2020 -
Network runs and GW astronomy with LIGO-India
LIGO-India: … Site requirement
LIGO-India: … the challenges
Indian Site
Primary Requirements:
• Flat terrain (minimal earthmoving expense)
• Low seismicity (strong events but also continuum background)
• Low human generated noise
• Air connectivity
• Proximity to Academic institutions, labs, industry preferred, …
• Identify potential sites not too far from existing facilities
• Basic topograph maps, weather data, …
• Need to carry out seismic survey to get ground noise
spectral density at 0.1-10 Hz range
• Few interesting possibilities are under investigation
 Challakere site seems to be positive at preliminary
assessment
Option
•Acquire modest extra
adjoining land
Option
• Minor Swap with DRDO
• Swap with Sheep farm
• Minor extra land acquisition
Option
• Skirt DRDO
• Swap with Sheep farm
• minor land acquisition
Preliminary Site Survey
Seismic background at Site X
Site characterization:
Archived Weather Data at
Site X
LIGO-India Site: Usage restrictions in Adjoining region
Current + during >15 year Operations
• NO sustained heavy equipment, mining, blasting activity in the vicinity (30km)
• NO Reciprocating power-plant machinery, rock crushers and heavy
machinery (> 16 km, prefer 40km from the site)
• Non-reciprocating power-plant machinery and balanced industrial machinery
should be located at least 7km from the site, preferred distance of 16 km.
• Railway: >10 kms (preferably 16km) away from any busy railway track active
at present, or, possible in the next 15 year.
• Roadways: More that 4-6 km from any major busy motor highway.
• Airways: More than 60km from any major airport. More that 20km from a not
so busy (less than 5 flights/day) airport.
•No major water flows during most of the year near the site
(The site should be 100 km to 200 km away from the sea-coast!)
Site for LIGO-India: … current snapshot
 IUCAA as the lead institute advanced some funds to carry out
site search. Create the basic management structure.
Thank you !!!
o activate contacts: e.g., new institutes, Univ. campuses etc.
o Approach GSI for site survey as on contract… may involve other more state
specific agencies, private agencies.
o A senior GSI (recently retd. Dep DG) as a consultant on designing the
campaign (Can be scaled up once LIGO-India project is approved )
 Specific cases:
o Challakere site most advanced: contacts at highest level of State admin, short
seismic survey, site visit , 2 years of weather data.
o Gauribidnur area : Early Gravity test, seismic data known
o North Karnataka alternative – Bidar, Gulbarga,… [KST exploring….]
o Andhra site (?) : awaiting ….
o Rajasthan: few sites near Udaipur, Kishanganj near Jaipur (visit in coming
weeks), IIT Jodhpur,…
o Chhattisgarh: south of Raipur (/), mid Feb discussions,..
National level DST-DAE Consortium Flagship Mega-project status is expected to
facilitate a systematic site search campaign over many Indian states