Weekly Report for Week Ending April 20, 2000

The LIGO Executive Committee Agenda for Monday  April 24, 2000 will be:
 (Meeting time: 10:30 am Pacific Time)

Open meeting 10:30 - 11:30

1. Announcements
2. LSC Issues (Weiss)
3. Comments on Weekly Report
4. WBS 1 LIGO I Construction (Lindquist)
• Field Change Orders/Contingency Liens/Change Requests
5. WBS 2 LIGO Lab Operations
• Administration (Lindquist)
• Sites (Raab, Coles, Shoemaker, Sanders)
• Detector (Whitcomb, Coyne)
• Campus Research Facilities (Weinstein (40 Meter), Libbrecht (TNI), Zucker(LASTI))
• Data Analysis and Computing (Lazzarini)
6. WBS 3 and 4  Advanced R&D and LIGO II (Sanders)

Special Items:

Special Announcements:

Weekly Report Highlights
 

LSC Issues (Weiss)

No report this week.

LIGO I Construction/LIGO Laboratory Administration (Lindquist)

WBS 1.2 LIGO Operations--Administration

LIGO Weekly Site Telecon (Jasnow)

From: Ed Chargois <chargois_e@ligo.caltech.edu>

Assisted the Detector Group (M. Fine) with the packing and shipping of borrowed Software from MSC Software Simulating Reality (C. Radigan) of Los Angeles, CA.  Account Number P96916.

Received the loaned property from Walker and Sons;  these items are being stored at the 40M annex. The Detector Group (S. Whitcomb and B.Tyler) was notified  and concurred  with this location.

Assisted the Detector Group (M. Smith ) with the packing and shipping of Pick Off Mirror Assemblies, BSC1 and BSC2, to the LIGO Hanford Observatory (B. Weaver). Arrival confirmation received. Account Number P96937.

Assisted the Detector Group (M. Smith) with the  packing and shipping of Pick Off Mirror Assemblies , BSC1 and BSC2 to the LIGO Livingston Observatory (J. Kern). Arrival confirmation received. Account Number P96937.

Assisted the Detector Group (M. Smith) with the packing and shipping of the HAM Viewport Alignment Fixture to the LIGO Hanford Observatory (B. Weaver). Scheduled arrival 4-21-00. Account Number P96937.

From: the DCC <dcc@ligo.caltech.edu>

• Attended AIIM 2000 Conference in New York City.
• Organized and began processing the myriad of  LSC presentations.  Some are in .pdf format but the bulk of presentations need to  be scanned and filed electronically.
• Handled a large volume of electronic document submittals.

 

	Packages	Faxes
In	15	31
Out	17	44

Special Projects: PSI electronic drawings.

From: Esther Cunningham <esther@ligo.caltech.edu>

Press here for ACCOUNTS PAYABLE HISTORY DATA.

From: "Brambila, Ruth" <Ruth.Brambila@caltech.edu>

• I am working on Pegasus, Butler, and Sun River trying to get them completed today and signed.
• I've been working on fine tuning the EXCEL spreadsheet showing the modifications, PO revisions, IFIS balance, the conversion amount, the Oracle amount, and the total contract value.  In some spreadsheets, I have also included a column for the FY1999 PO and the FY2000 PO.
• We are now obtaining signatures based on the total contract value, rather than the Oracle amount which is what we were previously using to obtain signatures.
• Transfered funds [from old OPs accounts to new FY 2000 OPs accounts --pel] and closed PO's as requested by Cindy.
• Still working with Oracle Support personnel to try to obtain a complete printed PO.  They are looking into it today.

• No report this week.

For a listing of the FY 2000 POETA Accounts see

http://docuserv.ligo.caltech.edu/docuserv/home/accts_ops.pdf
http://docuserv.ligo.caltech.edu/docuserv/home/accts_adv.pdf

From: irena@ligo.caltech.edu (Irena Petrac)

• MIT Change Order #9 deleting requirement for formal Caltech approvals prior to any equipment purchases and foreign travel which were included in the approved fiscal year budgets has been released to procurement.
• MIT: Additional information requested by NSF as part of their conditional approval (of MIT FY 2000 budget/CO #7) was received from MIT. Formal response (to NSF) is in the review cycle.
• CSIRO: CO#7 for metrology on sapphire test pieces was processed.
• Northwestern University Change Order #1, de-obligating residual funds, was processed. The contract remains open.
• LIGO II lasers--letter of interest for LIGO II laser development and fabrication was released. Responses are expected by the end of May.
• G&M--Change Order #9, adding $14K of additional funds, was released to CIT Acquisition.

From: Ed Jasnow <jasnow@ligo.caltech.edu>

A meeting was held at Hanford on April 18 with two representatives of the Washington State Department of Revenue.  The purpose of the meeting was to determine the extent of LIGO's tax liability in the area of B & O tax and sales tax.  After an extensive review and a tour of the facility, the representatives indicated that, as en extension of the Caltech campus, LIGO is probably exempt from the B & O tax.  They would have to do more research on the special legislation to see the extent of the sales tax exemption.  They expect to issue their report in two weeks.

Dorothy Lloyd

Continue to process requisitions, invoices and receiving on-line. For more detail see "Cost Schedule Control Systems" report by Esther Cunningham. The volume of incoming invoices was a little higher but still low compared to prior months.

Tracked and follow up on various invoice problems.

Monitored contract and blanket order funding levels and alerted task managers where supplements needed to be made.

Received billed amounts on-line on contracts and blanket orders so Acquisitions (Ruth) could cancel the lines out to correct account distributions, close out or remove encumbrances.

Reviewed payments processed by Esther during the week of April 10. Payments were entered in contract summary sheets and the LIGO database by both Jim and me.

Jim and I continue to work on updating the PO Log Books as time permits.

Rita Torres

For I. Petrac scanned Attachments to Carleton College to be posted on the MOU/LSC web page, sent two more LSC reports to be posted. Obtained Oracle requisition numbers for Butler Services Group, change order No. 11, Specialty Components, change order No. 2, and General Optics Inc., change order No. 6.

For P. Lindquist distributed minutes for CCB of 4/11/00. FedExed packages to NSF for: Quarterly Progress Report, LIGO Data Analysis Hardware, and Conditional NSF Approval/Additional Information Re: MIT.

Helping to coordinate food arrangements for 5/8-5/11, NSF review. Distributed mail when C. Mak took vacation on 4/14. Spent more time on Expense Reports. Usual P-card activities, reconciled a total of 18 this period. Did site trip updates.

Irene Baldon

Irene is on vacation right now, but here’s a portion of a message she sent me concerning a change in Caltech’s travel policy:

"I've just been informed by Travel Audit that I will have to start immediately sorting the non-Caltech employees/outside contractors from the Caltech employees when doing any travel for them. The non-Caltech employees/outside contractors will be handled by a totally separate group over in Accounting for tax purposes."

Irene, Travel Audit, and others in LIGO will be working on the details in the coming weeks.

Elizabeth K. Wood

Continued work on NSF Review. Thanks to Irene and Rita for tending to details.

Met with HR to discuss Caltech hiring policy. LIGO may cause Caltech’s administration to create a new job classification.

Will continue working with Phil in creating a time and effort report for a change request.

LIGO II (Frey)

Progress Period from 4.14 to 4.20

Accomplishments:

• Held weekly LIGO II Cost Book Tool meeting.
• Development of the Cost Book Tool integration continues.
• Proposal plan development for LIGO II and Operations continues.
• Held meetings with persons responsible for parts of the 40-Meter Lab Upgrade project to explain / request schedule detail for their appropriate scope.
• Project Plan for the 40-Meter Lab Upgrade continues.
• Reviewed Cost Estimate Plan with Phil Lindquist.

• Weekly meetings on Monday afternoons from 1 to 3pm regarding the planning and control of the LIGO II proposal development.
• Weekly meeting scheduled for Tuesdays with Barbara K. to continue Cost Book / Schedule integration effort.
• Project Plan development continues.
• Cost Book Tool development continues.

• Collection of schedule data is moving much slower than anticipated.

• Need encouragement to come from above to expedite data collection.  May need to set aside time for certain individuals to provide some training.

We are preparing a schedule for the support that is going to be required for proposals, work plans, and reports for the last half of FY 2000.  Clearly there is a lot of information needed, and there is a lot of overlap in the schedules that will have to be spread out given limited resources.

• NSF Review (May 9-11)
• Quarterly Report--end of May 2000  (inputs required June 23)
• Quarterly Report--end of August 2000  (inputs required September 22)
• Annual Report--end of November 2000  (inputs required December 21)
• Operations 2001 Work Plan (We want to get an earlier start on this than we did last year to expedite funding from the NSF at the end of the fiscal year.  This must be submitted through FastLane. Due date--end of September?)
• Continuing Operations (FY 2002-2007) Proposal (Due by mid October?)
• LIGO II Proposal (Due by mid October?)
• Advanced R&D Request for Continuing Funds (This is due now!)

The following change request has been submitted:
 

Press for the latest Contingency Needs Projection.  This list should be reviewed and revised.

From: Kris Duncan <kris@ligo.caltech.edu>

• Continued work on the March 2000 Cost Schedule Status Report (CSSR).  Calculated and posted the earned value from updates received to date.
• Continued to reconcile the CIT finance reports with LIGO actual cost and commitment data.
• Initiated work on the incorporation of the approved change request's from the April 11 Change Control Board (CCB) into the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB).
• Continued work on construction contract/retention/work package close out.
• Resolved PC intrusions which were incurred during last week while I was out of the office.  This appears to be an ongoing problem and I have been consulting with Larry Wallace as to a resolution.

• Much error checking in the wake of sending out the end of March detail.  [It should be noted that this has not been rendered easier by problems with the ORACLE reporting systems (WEBSTER).  Also the JPL charges may finally have hit in March. --pel]

From: irena@ligo.caltech.edu (Irena Petrac)

• GO Change Order #6, adding funds for re-polishing a number of detector optics, was released by the Detector Group.
• Allied Engineering--a proposal for the settlement of costs for cleaning telescope parts is in review by the Detector Group.
• Hytec--additional credit for 16 coiled springs was requested. Final payment is held up accordingly.

From: Ed Jasnow <jasnow@acrux.ligo.caltech.edu>

A contract is being issued to Great Impressions for janitorial services at Hanford.  This will be a one year contract, with four one year options.The contract will be for $38,500 for the base year.

LIGO Hanford Observatory (LHO) Operations (Raab)

Installation work is proceeding on many fronts.
Bake Oven:
----------
(K. Ryan)
 

LHO Vacuum Bake Oven A load #86, consisting of Arm Cavity Baffle Components, was released last week.
 

Load #87, consisting of 3" optic MCCM2K-02-1, was released 4.17.00.  This load was the first load since load #81 that did not contain any Allied Engineering aluminum parts.  Being that load #87's post bake scan was normal and rebaking was not required, I think that the source of the recent failed loads was, in fact, the aluminum parts that Allied had sent to LHO as "clean" and which, subsequently, were not cleaned at LHO.  The N2 vent gas was ruled out as a contamination source.
 

Load #88, consisting of HAM 6, 12 and BSC 4 purge air hardware and Mike Zucker's view ports should be released Monday 4.24.00.
 
 

Seismic Systems:
----------------------
(H. Radkins, C. Gray & M. Guenther)
 

BSC9, 4K ETMx:  Optic's control cabling and counterweights are installed. Optics Table was leveled.  The chamber is being pumped down and awaits a leak check on the Expansion Bellows.
 

The "In-Vacuum Accelerometer" has been installed--Note:  this is Wilcoxon accelerometer (Model 731A) is different than the LHO PEM Wilcoxon accelerometers (Model 731-207) on site. Our model 731-207s can use Endevco power supplies, but it is advisable to use a Wilcoxon power supply (Model P31) for the in-vacuum accelerometer; a Model P31 will be sent to us from either LLO or MIT.
 

LIGO Livingston Observatory (LLO) Operations (Coles)

Large Optics Suspensions: We are measuring the violin mode resonance frequency and the decay time of the recycling mirror by exciting the wire with a solenoid and picking up the vibrational motion of the wire with a sound level meter. We are doing this experiment in the vacuum-prep lab (i.e., in the air). So far we have observed that the resonance frequency is 355 Hz and the decay time is 2 to 3 sec. We will continue this measurement. (Sany Yoshida)

Mode Cleaner Commissioning: We fixed an oscillation problem in the frequency stabilization servo. We set the RF level on the LO for the MC demod mixer. We then went back and set the modulation depth to its correct value. We are working on making the mode cleaner lock more robustly so that we can study the servo characteristics. See http://www.ligo-la.caltech.edu/ilog/index.html for more details. (Joe Kovalik)

Preparation of Large Optics and COS: ITM-x magnets replaced, suspended and balanced. 5th bakeload of COS material began yesterday. Cavity Beam Dumps and PO mirror mount assemblies moved to LVEA for assembly next week. Small bake oven piping geometry established and sent out for welding. 4x6' cleanroom in optics lab disassembled and having 2' extension welded onto it. (Jonathan Kern)

Other: Rich Riesen and Harry Overmayer have been at Hanford for the last week participating in activities there. We plan to implement regular operator shifts at LLO soon, so this was a good opportunity to learn from the crew at LHO.

MIT (Shoemaker)

All issues covered elsewhere

Caltech (Sanders)

All issues covered elsewhere

Detector/Technical Support (Whitcomb, Coyne)

See also the daily electronic logs for the installation and commissioning activities:
Hanford Detector Log
Livingston Detector Log

1.0 INSTALLATION (including fabrication and subsystem test)

1.1 LHO

Suspensions

Seismic Isolation

Hugh Radkins, Corey Gray, Gerado Moreno, Mark Guenther
Ribbon cable installation was completed at WBSC9 (X end) and the counter balance weights were installed. An encapsulated accelerometer was mounted on the optics table for measurement of the transfer function of the seismic stack, and the optics table was leveled by shifting the weights. The chamber door was installed, an adapter flange and valve were installed on the chamber for later RGA installation and chamber pumping was started on 4/18 in preparation for bellows leak checking.
Note that this is the last LIGO-1 seismic installation into a vacuum chamber for the project!

PSL

ISC

• finishing chamber video camera installation for all 2k chambers
• reconfiguring ISCT7, 9 and 10 to "full IFO" sensing configuration (currently configured for 1-arm test)
• finalizing and calibrating optical levers
• assisting with COS installation & alignment
• diagnostics and debugging on MC controls

COS 2 km interferometer Assemblies

Betsy Weaver, Doug Cook
Parts for the X arm cavity baffle subassemblies are being assembled outside WBSC7

COS 2 km interferometer Installation (& COC alignment check)

Hugh Radkins
An elevation check was made on the ITMy optic in WBSC 8: the side OSEM hole measured at a Z global of -98.1 mm, in agreement with the planned elevation for the optic center of -98.1 mm. The total station theodolite is being set up on the beam line at the X beam manifold spool location for alignment purposes.

Betsy Weaver, Doug Cook, Hugh Radkins, Larry Jones
Parts for the Y arm cavity baffle subassemblies were assembled outside WBSC8, then carried inside and installed in the Y beam manifold. Alignment of this baffle is planned after the upcoming COC realignment. The BSC door was installed and pumpdown was started on 4/17.

John Worden, Kyle Ryan, Otto Matherny, Mark Lubinski, Betsy Weaver, Doug Cook, Corey Gray, Mark Guenther, Gerado Moreno, Larry Jones
The LVEA diagonal section and WBSC7/X beam manifold section were vented on 4/17. One door each of WHAMs 7 and 8 and WBSC 7 were removed, and work steps were installed; the spool at the north end of the X beam manifold was removed and clean rooms were moved into place.

Input Optics

1.2 LLO

COS

CDS Hardware & Software

Ed Daw, Rolf Bork
Last Friday the epics control software and hardware for the wavefront sensor mirrors on IOT1 at Livingston. Everything seems to work.

Sander Liu
Built and shipped 26 anti-aliasing filter adapters to Anthony Rizzi.

2.0 COMMISSIONING (incl. diagnostics and characterization)

2.1 LHO

Alignment Fluctuation Study

Engineering Data Run

• periodic narrow-band bursts with discrete frequencies at 55,57,70 Hz (at least), lasting ~150s and occurring every 900s. These bursts are seen in the corner station seismometer and in the cavity control signal. They are likely to be produced by some mechanical equipment.

• bursts with well-defined frequency monotonically decreasing from ~110Hz to ~50Hz over 80 seconds. These bursts are strong in the mid-station seismometer and somewhat weaker in the corner station seismometer and cavity control signal. There are at least 22 of them in the 22 hours E1 data record, and they occur only during daytime, i.e. between 6am and 21pm. At least 13 of them are visible in the cavity control signal. My best bet as of their origin is Doppler shifted vibrations from airplanes. Numbers work fine for jets flying above 5km in altitude at ~700km/h.

2.2 LLO

3.0 Other Engineering and Scientific Activities

3.1 Design/Analysis

40m Lab Support

LIGO - TriNet Seismic Network Extension (SNE) Project

Seismic Isolation

PSL

CDS Hardware

Jay Heefner
A prototype for the universal dewhitening filter has been designed and is out for fab. It should be ready for test by early next week.
The rev B modifications of the Quad PD whitening board have been incorporated
and the boards are out for fabrication. The rev B changes include:

• Addition of 4 pin lemo inputs that connect to the unused inputs of the Pentek.
• Fix the polarity flip problem when filters are bypassed.
• Added front panel monitors for segment voltages and pitch and yaw.

GDS

Core Optics Metrology

Vacuum Compatibility Procedures Document

Suspensions

Jay Heefner
Continued noise measurements for various circuit configurations of the modulated OSEMs in collaboration with Rai. It currently appears as though we will need to use a suppressed carrier technique in order to meet the noise requirements.

3.2 Issues Concerns

40 Meter Interferometer (Weinstein)

• Met with Janeen and Garilynn about work on suspensions and optics for the 40m upgrade.
• Met with Fred Asiri to go over drawings for the output chamber stack construction and building renovations.
• Eric Black wrote a preliminary memo on the use of the 40m for thermal noise measurements.
• Continued work on seismic and transfer function measurements, with the goal of evaluating the need for active seismic isolators (STACIS/TMC, IDE).
• "Completed" measurements of seismic noise with geophones, seismometer.
• Began measurements of response to shaker, with spectrum analyzer in swept sine mode, using geophones and accelerometer.
• First draft of report, here.
• We met with tech rep from TMC last Friday, who felt confident that they could deliver a STACIS system (and IDE can't deliver their products), and the mechanical work required would be straightforward. We'll meet with them again to discuss further details.
• We will meet with tech reps from IDE this afternoon.
• Continuing progress on commissioning the hardware and software for the new EPICS-based controls of the 40m vacuum system.
• John Worden is reviewing the vacuuum control system upgrade documents.
• Vass moved the 12m mode cleaner tube and stacks to the 40m lab; the middle-mirror vacuum chamber is already in hand.
• Assembled report to LIGO Executive committee on the many, conflicting, requests for surplus 40m equipment.
• Met with Jim Mason to go over ifo configuration issues.
• We are beginning to formulate a plan for dismantling the lab in preparation for building renovations.

AJW is "on vacation" through next Wednesday. Happy Passover!

Thermal Noise Interferometer (Libbrecht)

Last week we were working on our PSL in preparation for locking our mode
cleaner to it.  Our PSL has been problematic, and we may have found out
why: a dc offset appears to be railing one section of the fast (PZT) loop.
We suspect this will be easy to correct, and Rich Abbot has offered to help
us with debugging.
 

Luca has been studying the distribution of modes in our reference cavity
and is in the process of accurately calibrating our photodetectors.
 

Shanti has been building a lead compensator for our mode cleaner locking
servo, as well as working on a measurement of Braginsky's photothermal
effect in Aluminum mirrors.
 

Eric has been calculating spot size and thermal noise signals in
interferometers of various lengths, at Riccardo Desalvo's request.
Riccardo had asked if it would be useful to try an additional thermal noise
measurement at the 40-meter, and the answer appears to be yes.  See
LIGO-T000051-00-R for details.  (If it's not in the dcc yet, look in
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~blacke.)

LASTI (Zucker)

LASTI (Zucker, SHoemaker, Kruzel)
--.-------------------------------
Vacuum envelope: analyzing RGA data from the main volume to
determine partial pressures and outgassing rates. Some air
is seen, but this was expected as only one of the 4
annulus systems was under vacuum.

Data Analysis and Computing (Lazzarini)

Simulation and Modeling

Matt worked to implement the Lock Acquisition scheme
in a c function so that it can be use for the LSC servo
implemented by CDS. Hiro helped this by writing a c filter
code compatible with CDS. This sos based code will replace the
core part of the e2e digital filter.

Biplab is preparing to implement thermal noises based on
Sam Finn's work. For this, the macro and function parser will
be implemented asap.

Ed and Bruce are working to release a new version of alfi.

LIGO Data Analysis System

The week was spent testing and fixing the planned LDAS release
0.0.11 again this week. Our goal is to have a version of LDAS
which is stable enough that it can be used in future engineering
runs as a fallback as our future releases are developing and
may have less than optimal performance in the areas of database
usage, since our concentration will soon migrate away from LDAS
database functionality and on to signal conditioning and parallel
analysis.

The tests turned up several problems. Chief among these was an
ambiguity in the CHAR and CHAR_U ILWD datatypes associated with
supporting numerical values. To fix this all numerical values
must be given as octal or printable characters. This was the
original requirement, but support for numbers leaked in when the
LSTRING type wasn't functioning properly. Now that LSTRING is
performing nicely, this is not needed and the unambiguous use
of octals has been implemented. Another problem that testing
reviled was a tremendous slowdown in the performance of data
insertion into the database (in sum cases 5 times slower than
it was in the 0.0.10 release). This has been traced to a problem
in TCL logging code and that code has now been fixed, and in
fact improved so that we are seeing insertion rates better than
release 0.0.10 results. The problems with multiple copies of
APIs running on the system has now been fixed and the managerAPI
has full capablity to start or stop any API using a secure agent
even when the API is running on a remote machine. A more serious
problem was identified associated with the C++ Standard Template
Library's Vector Class under Linux. Here a memory leak was found
that is poorly deterministic but only impacks the FrameCPP code
when the run number changes for frames coming out of the Frame-
Builder. To handle interim memory leaks, the managerAPI is being
equipped with maximum memory usages for API which will caus the
managerAPI to kill an API at the completion of jobs and then
restart the API with all memory cleared up prior to starting any
new jobs using that API.

Progress continued on the newest set of LDAS APIs being developed.
The controlMonitorAPI continues to have improvements made in its
user interface, the wrapperAPI continues to have data communications
functions written, and the mpiAPI's requirements were enhanced to
support the logging needs of the wrapperAPI. The work on the data-
ConditionAPI continued with a preliminary dynamically loaded FFTW
library being added and more signal processing functionality added
from the LSC working group. There was considerable activity this
week on the wrapperAPI requirements with significant improvements
being made to the interface layer and its "isolation" from changes
below and above. A new version of the wrapperAPI requirements will
be released in the coming weeks which captures the new thinking.

We have successfully exchanged new version 4 frames with VIRGO. There
were several problems with our files which have now been fixed. Work
continues on extending the LDAS frameAPI to use the newer functionality
provided by the version 4 frameCPP library.

One big improvement in the LDAS metadataAPI and lightWeightAPI was
the implementation of support for null fields in ILWD and LIGO_LW
documents. A unified solution was tested this week and Peter has
made the necessary changes to his GUILD user interface to support
these. Peter is also working on a standalone version of GUILD which
would not require users to necessarily install TCL 8.3.

Hardware & Data (ANDERSON):

The first LHO engineering run data is now available via ftp from HPSS at Caltech
(see http://www.srl.caltech.edu/personnel/sba/ligo/hpss).

The data corruption related to retrieving data from HPSS has been fixed
by replacing the ATM ports on a key CACR network switch (HPGN). It is now
safe to retrieve HPSS data at high speed over the ATM connection between
LIGO and CACR, i.e., hpsssw.cacr.caltech.edu.

General Computing

Livingston:
Working on budget issues and ordering a number of computers to accommodate the
new users for the summer.

Hanford:
Worked out the network monitoring/measurement issues.

CIT:

Sam finished reloading the OS on a number of PC's. Also, burned a CD with a
number of basic pkgs. that are used on the PC's, such as Netscape, print drivers
and Acrobat reader, to facilitate installations.
Did lotsa and lotsa of electrical engineering (class), including the part where
the soldiering the pins burns the fingers, good learning experience.
A number of CD's are being made for a number of users. Just a reminder, anyone
on the project can use the CD burner, they don't have to wait for Sam to do it
for them.

Suresh has moved print services from mail/print server acrux to kuma. Most of
the Sun workstations and PCs are already using kuma as printserver. The print
services in acrux will eventually be used only as a backup.
Set up anonymous FTP server in a Sun Ultra 2 machine. the fully
qualified domainname is ftpanon.ligo.caltech.edu. User has to supply
anonymous as username and email address as password. Nothing is
mounted from any other server including users home directory. Anyone can
upload and download files in pub area of this server, there will be some
restrictions in the future as the server is modified. As for now the server can
be used but it is not backed up and will be cleaned off periodically so don't
use it as a storage area.
Installed a HP Laserjet 4500 color printer in Wilson house with
same old name as colorcds.

Purchasing of computer hardware presently does not have to go through Wired.
That issue is still being worked on but the buyers for LIGO will do the
purchasing directly at this time.

A number of disk systems have been ordered for GC purposes. These should bring
up our disk storage area to a reasonable level(additional 250+GB).
 

LIGO II/Advanced R&D (Sanders)

SAS Isolation report
From: Riccardo DeSalvo <desalvo@ligo.caltech.edu>

Szabi
Tested first oil bearing for the Ip characterisation and earthquake
playback testing.  Three units in construction for IP testing, eta end
of April.
Real earthquake played back on the MSE SAS chain simulation in purely
passive mode. The 5 mm 60 sec earthquake excursions result in a 100
micron micron maximum movement.  The End-stops should not have hit the
SAS live structure.
Study of the same event in active inertial damping mode to determine
actuator requirements to fully absorb the energy at the IP level.
Procured thermometer network for creep room instrumentation.
First version of PC based signal analyser with 16 channel Keithley DAQ
card.

Virginio
Diagonalisation of LVDT sensor operational.  Actuator driving matrix to
be checked. Eta 2 days.  Close loop eta 1 more day.  Developing recepies
for fast diagonalisation.
Will follow up with diagonalisation of 3 TEAC accelerometers.
Soon will accept Alessandro’s accelerometer on IP for its calibration.

Alessandro
Accelerometer reconditioned with voice coil to operate on the ?K bench
and calibrated 500 V/g with dynamic range of +/- 30 mN and 20 Hz (still
easily increasable) bandwidth.
Compared accelerometer with TEAc piezo accelerometer on ?K table,
visible 2 orders of magnitude better performance (more to be uncovered
when on IP operation).
Will go on IP asap.

Akiteru
Simulated HAM system for TAG.
Working on TAMA simulations to specify new suspensions and control
design for the 3 m experiment.  Verified MSE library advance, now
adequate for IP and GASF emulation, soon to be upgraded to full
simulation

Flavio
Built new active 8 channel anti-aliasing cards.

Riccardo
Built creep test blade loading hydraulic machine.
Measured blades.
Ordered counter weights.
Dry run of mechanical ass’y of creep test blades.

Henri
advancing creep thermal room details.

Virginio, Szabi
Need to specify new PC for creep data acquisition.
Need to evaluate DAQ cards for acoustic emission signals.

Alessandro, Gianni
Refining design for item 2 accelerometer.

Szabi, Riccardo, Gianni
Initiated design of new HAM table based of MGASF and IP components.

G&M
Shipped second TAMA MGASF prototype.
Completing TAMA IP and reference structure, eta end of April.
TAMA MGASF filters delayed by lack of clamp ring materials,  back on
track now, eta early May.

From: Phil Willems <willems@ligo.caltech.edu>

Hydroxy-catalysis bonding research:
-----------------------------------
 

Based on discussions with the University of Glasgow, we have identified carbon
as a likely contaminant of silicate bonds, due to uptake of CO2 from the air by
the KOH solution.  We have seen the pH of our KOH solution reduced by 2.5 over
three days, presumably due to this effect.  We have also tested an ultrasonic
flaw detector on our bonds.  With it we could watch a freshly-made bond cure in
real time, nondestructively.  We could also distinguish an optical contact bond
from a hydroxy-catalysis bond. (Helena Armandula, Phil Willems)

Fused silica fiber research:
----------------------------

With Geppo Cagnoli at Glasgow, we have identified nonlinear thermoelasticity as
a potentially important source of thermal noise in suspension fibers/ribbons.
Happily, this noise can cancel the more familiar linear thermoelasticity, given
suitable design parameters. (Phil Willems)
 

For additional information about this report, contact sanders@ligo.caltech.edu