Program Plan

LIGO Laboratory Role and Responsibilities

Scientists, engineers, and staff at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) carry out the design, construction, and operation of the LIGO Observatories. Caltech has prime responsibility for the project under the terms of a Cooperative Agreement with the National Science Foundation (NSF). LIGO is a national facility for gravitational-wave research, providing opportunities for the broader scientific community to participate in detector development, observations and data analysis. Under the Cooperative Agreement, the LIGO Laboratory assumes responsibility for implementation of the Advanced LIGO upgrade project.

Figure 1 illustrates the reporting relationship between the LIGO Laboratory and the managing institutions, NSF, Caltech and MIT.

Figure 1 LIGO Laboratory reporting and oversight

The LIGO Laboratory will manage Advanced LIGO construction in the same manner as the original LIGO construction was executed. A project organization will be established within the LIGO Laboratory with a Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) defining the tasks leading to project deliverables. The project organization will parallel the deliverables in the WBS. Task Leaders for each organizational element will be charged with delivering the elements of Advanced LIGO. Prior to initiating the Advanced LIGO project, an Advanced LIGO Project Management Plan will define the details of this organization. Advanced LIGO construction will be a broad effort of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), and the WBS and organization chart will reflect the collaborative distribution of the responsibilities.

LIGO Scientific Collaboration Role and Responsibilities

Collaborating groups have established the LSC to carry out the LIGO research and development program, to develop priorities, and to enable participation. It is organized as a separate entity distinct from the LIGO Laboratory. Through its Spokesperson, the LSC communicates with the Laboratory through the Laboratory Directorate.

Collaborative work between the LIGO Laboratory and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration is defined in Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) between the Laboratory and responsible institutions. Specific tasks are included in Attachments to these MOUs with defined deliverables and periods of performance. A specific MOU and Attachment define membership by an institution in the LSC. Fulfillment of the commitments made by both parties to Attachments is reviewed by periodic progress reports and by revision of the Attachments to define future commitments.

Member institutions in the LSC participate in the research and development program leading to enhanced LIGO detectors. These activities are defined in MOUs and Attachments, and, where applicable, through awards from the NSF.

Participation by member LSC institutions in the execution of the Advanced LIGO construction project is possible and encouraged. Such participation will be governed by specific Attachments defining each institution’s roles and contributions to the Advanced LIGO project. This management technique has been used successfully in the execution of initial LIGO construction. Participant institutions may receive needed funding through subcontracts with the LIGO Laboratory or through funding from other agencies or foreign sources depending upon the particular role and situation of each institution. The NSF is fully involved in reviewing and approving participation by non-NSF supported institutions.

This Project Book represents the definition of the Advanced LIGO project as jointly defined by the LIGO Laboratory and the LSC.

International Collaboration in Advanced LIGO

A major role in Advanced LIGO R&D, construction and implementation is proposed for the GEO Project, a collaboration of United Kingdom and German institutions. The GEO Project has carried out extensive research and development of technologies fundamental to the Advanced LIGO design. They have designed and are commissioning a 600-meter interferometer that will serve, in addition to its intrinsic goals as a gravitational wave detector, as a test bed for Advanced LIGO techniques. They are carrying out important research in suspension of core optics, in reduction of thermal noise, in relevant materials processing, in modeling of instrument performance and sensitivity, in data acquisition and analysis, and in advanced interferometer configurations. Much of this work is directly relevant to defining the Advanced LIGO detector system.

The GEO institutions will lead the definition, design and construction of the suspensions for the Advanced LIGO test mass optics. Based upon the GEO-600 multiple pendulum suspensions, the Advanced LIGO version makes a pivotal contribution to the performance enhancement of LIGO. Similarly, the GEO work in signal tuned interferometer configurations underpins the Advanced LIGO design and performance goal and GEO is undertaking a continuing role in this area. GEO is assuming responsibility to develop and construct the Advanced LIGO Prestabilized Laser systems. GEO has proposed direct support of the Advanced LIGO project to the United Kingdom funding agencies, and plans a request to the German funding agencies. The GEO role in executing and participating in the management of the project will be defined through the bilateral MOU and Attachment process described here.

A significant role in Advanced LIGO R&D, construction and implementation is also proposed by the Australian Consortium for Interferometric Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA). ACIGA has an active R&D program on Advanced LIGO techniques including research on the design and development of a 100 W class laser and optical systems compatible with those power levels, control systems for advanced interferometer configurations, and data analysis. ACIGA is constructing a facility at its Gingin site to test the performance of optical systems subjected to high power, a crucial experimental analysis of one of the key Advanced LIGO concepts. Furthermore, ACIGA proposes to expand the capability of Advanced LIGO by leading the development of a variable reflectivity signal recycling mirror, which will allow in-situ manipulation of the instrument’s bandwidth. ACIGA is proposing direct support of the Advanced LIGO project to the Australian Research Council that would support the R&D on variable-reflectivity mirrors, and also contribute to the baseline output optics subsystem of Advanced LIGO. It has already been funded for the test facility construction.

Method of Accomplishment

Advanced LIGO is an effort of the entire LIGO Scientific Collaboration. The LIGO Laboratory will manage the project with oversight of all participating institutions. This management will be defined in the MOUs and Attachments for participating institutions outside the LIGO Laboratory. Within the Laboratory, tasks will be assigned to designated Task Leaders and assigned staff reporting to these Task Leaders. Task leaders may come from the greater LIGO Scientific Collaboration, working with a liaison within the Laboratory.

For each component, supply or service required for Advanced LIGO, the Laboratory will employ either an in-house fabrication or provision of the item or service, or will procure the item or service through a subcontract. It is expected that a substantial fraction of the Advanced LIGO system components will be procured through subcontracts based upon the Advanced LIGO project specifications. The Laboratory and scientific partners will primarily carry out design, contractor supervision, receipt, testing, acceptance, final assembly, installation, integration and commissioning. Formal management of subcontracts will in general be the responsibility of the LIGO Laboratory under the terms of the Cooperative Agreement, though international partners will carry out some subcontracting directly.