Pro-Vice Chancellor & Professor
Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering
Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET), Bangladesh
Characterization of the Seismic Field in the Virgo Buildings
The detection of gravitational waves has opened up a new era in astronomy, providing unprecedented insights into some of the most extreme and dynamic events in the universe. However, gravitational wave (GW) detectors are extremely sensitive instruments susceptible to a wide range of environmental disturbances, including seismic activity. Therefore, it is essential to understand the behavior of seismic waves in the vicinity of these detectors to design and operate them effectively.
An essential aspect of the advanced Virgo interferometer is to precisely evaluate the seismic conditions surrounding the GW detector and complement the effects of the neighboring seismic fields on its performance. This paper presents a systematic analysis of seismic data obtained from the three structures of the Virgo observatory — the Central End Building (CEB), North End Building (NEB), and West End Building (WEB). By analyzing the spatial spectra of the seismic field, we identify the presence of two dominant modes of wave propagation between buildings, which exhibit complex and dynamic behavior. Our findings have important implications for the design and operation of future GW detectors.
Professor Sk Shariful Alam is a distinguished scholar and academic serving as Pro-Vice Chancellor of Khulna University of Engineering & Technology (KUET) and Professor in its Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE). He holds a B.Sc. in EEE from CUET (2003), an M.Sc. in Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Trento, Italy (2010), and a PhD in Wireless Communications from the University of Genoa, Italy (2014).
He also completed postdoctoral research at the Nicolaus Copernicus Astronomical Center (CAMK), Polish Academy of Sciences (PAN), Warsaw, Poland (2020–2023). Since joining KUET in 2004, Professor Alam has been deeply committed to academic excellence, research, and institutional development. As Pro-Vice Chancellor, he is dedicated to fostering a vibrant and inclusive learning environment and strengthening KUET's standing as a leading center for engineering education and research both nationally and internationally.