Privacy Policy
Notice to Users -- Privacy Notice
We collect no personal information about you when you visit this Web site, unless otherwise stated or unless you choose to provide this information to us. However, we collect and store certain information automatically. What we collect and store automatically is:
- The Internet Protocol (IP) address for the domain from which you access the Internet (e.g., 123.456.789.012) whether the domain is yours individually or is provided as a proxy by your Internet Service Provider (ISP)
- The date and time you access our site
- The pages you access (recorded by the text and graphics files that compose that page)
- And, the Internet address of the Web site from which you linked directly to our site.
We use the summary statistics to help us make our site more useful to visitors, such as assessing what information is of most and least interest to visitors, and for other purposes such as determining the site's technical design specifications and identifying system performance or problem areas.
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) will protect all such information consistent with applicable law.
Google Analytics
This website uses Google Analytics, a web analytics service provided by Google, Inc. (Google"). Google Analytics uses "cookies", which are text files placed on your computer, to help the website analyze how users use the site. The information generated by the cookie about your use of the website (including your IP address) will be transmitted to and stored by Google. Google will use this information for the purpose of evaluating your use of the website, compiling reports on website activity for website operators and providing other services relating to website activity and internet usage. Google may also transfer this information to third parties where required to do so by law, or where such third parties process the information on Google's behalf. Google will not associate your IP address with any other data held by Google. You may refuse the use of cookies by selecting the appropriate settings on your browser, however please note that if you do this you may not be able to use the full functionality of this website. By using this website, you consent to the processing of data about you by Google in the manner and for the purposes set out above.
Comments Sent by E-mail
You may choose to provide us with personal information, as in an e-mail containing your comments or questions. We use this information to improve our service to you or to respond to your request. There may be times when your message is forwarded, as e-mail, to other LIGO employees who may be better able to help you. We normally do not share our e-mail with any other outside organizations, unless determined necessary for security purposes or when required by law.
Security Notice
Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO), a joint activity of the California Institute of Technology ("Caltech") and of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology ("MIT"), operates this Web site as part of a federally funded computer system used to accomplish Federal functions. Unauthorized attempts to defeat or circumvent security features, to use the system for other than its intended purposes, to deny service to authorized users, to access, obtain, alter, damage, or destroy information, or otherwise to interfere with the system or its operation is prohibited. Evidence of such acts may be disclosed to law enforcement authorities and may result in criminal prosecution under the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act of 1986 and the National Information Infrastructure Protection Act of 1996, codified at section 1030 of Title 18 of the United States Code, or other applicable criminal laws.
LIGO uses software programs to monitor this Web site for security purposes to ensure it remains available to all users and to protect information in the system. Any and all uses of this system and all files on this system may be intercepted, monitored, recorded, copied, audited, inspected, and disclosed to authorized LIGO, Caltech, MIT, NSF, law enforcement personnel, as well as authorized officials of other agencies. By accessing this Web site, you are expressly consenting to such interception, monitoring, recording, copying, auditing, inspection and disclosure at the discretion of LIGO. Users have no explicit or implicit expectation of privacy.
Disclaimers
Disclaimer of Liability
With respect to documents available from this server, neither Caltech, MIT, nor the United States Government, nor any of their employees, makes any warranty, express or implied, including the warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, or assumes any legal liability or responsibility for the accuracy, completeness, or usefulness of any information, apparatus, product, or process disclosed, or represents that its use would not infringe privately owned rights.
Disclaimer of Endorsement
Reference herein to any specific commercial products, process, or service by trade name, trademark, manufacturer, or otherwise, does not necessarily constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Caltech, MIT, or the United States Government. The views and opinions of authors expressed herein do not necessarily state or reflect those of Caltech, MIT, or the United States Government, and shall not be used for advertising or product endorsement purposes.
