Wide band detectors for gravitational waves

Gravitational wave interferometric detectors operating between 10 Hz and 10 kHz are currently being built. According to current astrophysical knowledge their sensitivity - of the order of 10-23 m/Hz at 100 Hz - should allow to detect a few events per year. The expected signals include binary neutron star inspiralling and coalescence, and stellar collapse. Less predictable sources are fast rotating neutron stars (pulsars). Stochastic background of cosmological and astrophysical will also be searched for. Operation principles and main sources of noise are described. Main ideas in the critical field of data analysis are illustrated. Finally an outline of the perspectives of the study of gravitational waves is give