LIGO stands for

LIGO stands for the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory [1]. It is a large-scale physics experiment and observatory designed to detect cosmic gravitational waves and to develop gravitational-wave observations as an astronomical tool. Predicted by Albert Einstein in 1916, gravitational waves are ripples in the fabric of spacetime caused by violent cosmic processes, such as the collision of black holes or neutron stars [2]. The observatory consists of two widely separated, L-shaped laser interferometers located in Hanford, Washington, and Livingston, Louisiana. These instruments use the physical properties of light and space to sense minute distortions in spacetime. In 2015, LIGO made the first-ever direct detection of gravitational waves, confirming a major prediction of the general theory of relativity and opening a new window into the study of the universe [1].

Sources

1. [1] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 1: The Universe, The Big Bang Theory, Galaxies & Stellar Evolution > Gravitational Waves > p. 5
2. [2] Physical Geography by PMF IAS, Manjunath Thamminidi, PMF IAS (1st ed.) > Chapter 1: The Universe, The Big Bang Theory, Galaxies & Stellar Evolution > Gravitational Waves > p. 4