THE SEARCH FOR GRAVITATIONAL WAVES

The km-scale interferometric detectors of gravitational waves LIGO and
Virgo have demonstrated the target sensitivity and have realized a
world wide network of detectors. The data collected so far have
allowed to put upper limits on several sources, but no detection has
been done so far.

The projects to upgrade LIGO and Virgo to second generation
interferometers, capable of increasing the detection rate by a factor
~1000 have been funded recently. The construction of Advanced LIGO and
Advanced Virgo has started. The upgraded detectors are expected to
start again taking science data in 2015.

In the talk we review the results achieved so far and the perspectives
of the advanced detectors.