GEO 600 and the GEO-HF upgrade program: successes and challenges

Understand

The German-British laser-interferometric gravitational wave detector GEO 600 is in its 14th year of operation since its first lock in 2001.

• After GEO 600 participated in science runs with other first-generation detectors, a program known as GEO-HF began in 2009.
• The goal was to improve the detector sensitivity at high frequencies, around 1 kHz and above, with technologically advanced yet minimally invasive upgrades.
• Simultaneously, the detector would record science quality data in between commissioning activities.