LIGO Weekly Report

A site teleconference was held on Thursday, April 19, 2001. Discussion included:

1) Ed Jasnow had an action to check with the Office of Sponsored Research concerning the "brick wall" for spending Construction funds. According to Seligman, the end date for 'costing' construction dollars is June 30, 2003 based on the most recent date for receipt of construction funds from the NSF. Construction of the building will begin in October and will require a year. We need sufficient time to clear costs, deal with any claims and retention. Ed Jasnow will prepare a draft request for an extension of the completion date for the cooperative agreement for review by Gary and Barry.
2) The DCAA audit of our Proposal for Continuing Operations. Several meetings have been held this week, and we are providing them with data from the Proposal Budget model. They may request to see detailed supporting data, in which case we will notify the task leaders.
3) Some employees at the sites report being harassed by the Franchise Tax Board of California. This was caused by an anomaly in the W2 system that sets the California wages equal to the wages reported for Federal Income Tax purposes. Anita Yanes has been very helpful inidentifying the problem, and she has sent letters to the tax board. However, the system may still not be doing it right. Ed will prepare a memo to Al Horvath documenting the problem and suggesting a quick audit of all individuals assigned to the sites to make sure that their California wages are reported as $0.
4) Schedule for Site Inventories: Livingston--April 29, Hanford--May 13.
5) Personnel issues: losing two operators at Hanford which will put them down by four FTEs. Pool for filling PostDoc slots remains shallow at both sites.

The next site telecon is scheduled for Thursday, April 26, 2001. The list of current actions revised to reflect open actions assigned through April 19, 2001 may be found at ACTION LIST.

Web pages for the DCC give simple how-to's for document numbering, easy access to the latest on-line documents, and search capabilities for the DCC database. Take a look. . .

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

Rita Torres

Checking weekly for incoming LSC reports and plans. Formatted plan from Harvard-Smithsonian. Scanned Attach. A to U. of Michigan, and Attachments D & Z to TAMA, submitted to the DCC. Also submitted to the DCC formatted and numbered reports for Harvard-Smithsonian, Louisiana Tech, and Texas-Brownsville. Also submitted a replacement report for Carleton College. All of these are for subsequent web posting.
Obtained Oracle requisition numbers for: Allied Engineering, change order No. 8, Crystal Systems, change order No. 4, and Shanghai Institute, change order No. 3.
Formatted a Letter of Selection to High Precision Devices for Seismic Isolation Systems Mechanical Structure Prototype. Also did letters to the other proposers, to notify them of our selection. Formatted a draft Pre-Contract Authorization/PO for High Precision.
Placed more Pcard orders this week, reconciled 29 orders this period. Placed several calls to MCSi to obtain information regarding a computer cart, and to several vendors in search of a part. Updated site trips on the web.

Dorothy Lloyd

Processed the usual requisitions, invoices and receiving on-line. For more detail, see "Cost Schedule Control Systems" report by Esther Cunningham.
Tracked and followed up on invoice problems.
Reviewed and recorded payments processed by Esther during the period of April 2 through 13, on contract summary sheets and in the LIGO database.
Continue to monitor contract and blanket order encumbrance and notify task managers when supplements are needed.
Completed the update of PO Log books for the period September through January. Began update for the period February through March (130 purchase orders).
Jim continues with data entry in the LIGO database and also help out in the travel and DCC areas.

Irene Baldon

Processed thirteen (13) new trips (including Advance Checks written and hotel/car rental authorizations filled out and FAXed to appropriate vendors in various locations); thirteen (13) trips have been ticketed and are awaiting completion of necessary paper work; and ten (10) trips are pending final approval before tickets can be issued and paper work done. Once again I'm working with Ken Libbrecht on the 2001 SURF/LIGO travel. I have received an additional (7) inquiries, making a total of eleven (11), and awaiting contact from the remaining students. There was a total of twenty-two (22) students accepted for this summer and they will be working at Caltech, Hanford and Livingston.
Completed twenty-eight (28) Expense Reports; have eight (8) completed by Jim which need to be reviewed before sending to Travel Audit; Jim has twenty-three (23) that he is working on (PLEASE NOTE: Jim has been out this week due to his father's death), and there are thirty-five (35) to be done. I'm holding two (2) reports which need a check from the traveler before processing and four (4) that have problems that I need to extensively work on. I continue to train and supervise Jim on expense reports as best I can.
I reconciled twenty-two (22) items on my P-Card, some of which needed additional work to contact vendor involved, and a total of one-hundred-forty-five (145) for the month. Assisted a few travelers with their reconciling and/or data entry.
Prepared the Travel/Vacation Itinerary for the Week of April 16, 2001. Performed normal recording and filing associated with Travel and Reimbursement. Also performed miscellaneous duties as requested by various members of the LIGO Project here at Caltech as well as from members of the staffs of each of the two (2) sites. I continue to do MIT's travel to the sites for installation activities and also to assist them wherever possible.

Elizabeth K. Wood

The first pcard/travel meeting seems to have been a success. Many tricks and secrets were revealed unto us. Based on the results of this meeting, I think I will plan a how-to-do-a-travel-expense-report class for all travelers, pcard users or not.
Instead of sending out the usual background material in a three-ring binder, this time we’re using a web page for the upcoming NSF Annual Review of LIGO. With the help of Barbara and Larry, we have a secure web page accessible only to the NSF panel reviewers. If you want to take a look, let me know---I’ll let you know the secret knock.
Continuing with the catering and other preparations for the NSF Review April 30-May 2..

Advanced LIGO (Frey, Petrac)

Also working with David Shoemaker to set up assignments for Advanced R&D Annual Report. We should be sumbitting this report (necessary to get FY 2001 funding) over the next month or so.

I am going to distribute copies of these change requests and attempt to schedule a Change Control Board soon.

Quality/Safety (Tyler)

LIGO Hanford Observatory (LHO) Operations (Raab)

The vacuum volume containing the 4K input/output optics and beamsplitter are
being prepared for pumpdown, so that commissioning can continue. The remaining
installation work in this volume (described below) is a delicate operation that
requires many entries deep into the vacuum system and crawling past installed
optics, baffles, etc., with cleaning equipment.

Hugh Radkins, Alan Rohay (PNNL) and Fred R. have been analyzing seismic data
looking to understand the impact of the gravel mining operation in N. Richland,
about 10 miles from the Y arm. Hugh and Alan have conducted measurements as a
function of distance from the mine. Using the source signature obtained from
Hugh's and Alan's measurements, we have been searching data from the Mid-Y
seismometer, including characterization spectra around the clock taken by Ski.
With help from Szabi, we now have data from the Tri-Net seismometer added to
the mix. This is helpful because our in-building network is polluted somewhat
by our own installation activities. The net result from preliminary analysis
is that we do see a 4-Hz peak that matches a peak in the signature and is about
a factor of two above the ambient background for the site. The peak does come
and go and we are trying to establish its synchronization with activities at the
mine. Rumor has it that the Richland city government wants to review the results
on May 17.

Interferometer Installation/Repair:
-----------------------------------
(D. Cook)

The spool between HAM3 and BSC2 and the spool between BSC1 and BSC2 have
been reinstalled. BSCs1,2,3 have been cleaned and exit checks completed.
The ITMx-4k, ITMy-4k and BS-4k have had their new safety stops installed.
The optics have been cleaned with CO2 3 times in the last 2 days as dust
has continued to collect on the optics. The N2 /ion gun could not be used
in the end due to its limited reach. Immediately after the last cleaning
the gate valve was closed and the roughing pump started. This change in
plans is to allow us to pump the 4k mode cleaner section and continue the
final alignment and locking.

The 2k alignment will be done by removing WA-1A and WA-1B spools instead.
This follows the original IAS alignment procedure and will lessen the
number of openings in the vacuum system.

The 2k IO optics and mode cleaner is aligned, but again not without problems.
The viton tip safety stops seem to be steering the optics due to static
charge. Alignment will continue tomorrow.

The replacement ITMy-2k has been cleaned and I will glue the guide rod and
wire standoff on tomorrow.

We will hold off on opening up the X-End station until Monday to limit the
vent time. We will have additional help as well.

I have been working with Janeen on some improvements to the top block
assemblies that anchor the suspension wires.

LIGO Livingston Observatory (LLO) Operations (Coles)

Optics: Measured ringdown of the X and Y arm 4km cavities. The decay is
exponential with a ringdown time of approx 10ms. Protected the cameras and
PDs on ISCT1 & 4 from the RM build up when it is aligned. This is being
done because the EO shutters aren't powered and are moved to the side. An ND
filter was placed on a sony camera (which is taking the place of a Watec)
that looks at the reflected beam and an 80% reflected BS was used in the
beam path to the PD to dump most of the light. On ISCT4 the precautions were
a bit different. A Watec was used in place of the Sony camera because a 99%
refl. mirror was used to direct the beam path to the WFS that is now in
place on the table. With only 1% light through the mirror we had to use the
Watec to view the AS port signal. A PD was placed at the ITMx pickoff beam
to look at the DC level of the beam and the signal was patched into the
control room using a temporary DAQ channel. A draft of the tasks to be
completed during the upcoming vent has been distributed.

Control Room: Two additional TV monitors have been installed in the control
room. Video cabling is currently in progress.
Operators are continuing work in preparation for the up coming vent, (Harry
Overmier and Gary Traylor)
Vac-bake for the 40 meter is continuing.
Received Osems, pigtails, PD filters and a test box. Peter Fritschel has
trained Joe Langdale in the use of the test box. Ken Watts is continuing
work on the 2-omega circuit box Mike Fyffe and Ken Watts installed isolation
power strips on all 4 optic tables Training is continuing on various data
test/monitoring tools including the RGA's.

Mode Matching: Analyzed the input beam into arm cavity by comparing the
beam size measured at the bright port and the beam size calculated with the
ray matrix. Here the beam measured at the bright port is reflected by the
recycling mirror (RM), thus passing through the mode matching telescopes
twice (i.e. once in the forward going pass to RM and once after reflected by
RM coming back to the Faraday Isolator at the bright port). When MMT2 is
moved toward the arm in the calculation by 1.5 cm from the designed
location, the result of calculation shows the best agreement with the
measurement. This is consistent with G. Mueller's analysis (based on the
measured power coupling to arm cavity) that the distance between MMT2 and
MMT3is too long by about 2 cm for the best power coupling.

Detector/Technical Support (Whitcomb, Coyne)

Installation& Commissioning: Hanford Livingston	Other Science/EngineeringActivities: Design/Analysis/Fab Issues/Concerns

1.1 LHO INSTALLATION & COMMISSIONING

2km & 4km Earthquake repairs

LHO 4K Suspension

LHO-TriNet seismic station (LTH)

1.2LLO INSTALLATION & COMMISSIONING

Commissioning

o The recombined interferometer (non-power recycled) now acquires lock
reasonably quickly (within 1-2 minutes) and stays locked for typically
10 minutes.

o The power recycled Michelson (no arms) has also been operated and
studied to some degree. It can be locked on the carrier or RF sideband
resonance in the recycling cavity, and the power buildup for each
case is approximately as expected. The system exhibits recycling cavity
power drop transients, of ~0.2 sec duration, cause unknown.

o Next: A couple of more channels need to be set up and connected to the
LSC front end for the lock acquisition code. Then the PRM lock can be
performed using the lock acquisition code, followed by attempting to lock
the full interferometer.

Peter King
Last week Chethan and I looked at all the software changes that were made
to the Y-end LOS controller IOC. The symptoms were that the controller
would freeze after all the acquire and test enable buttons were
enabled/disabled, along with a few other buttons on the MEDM screen.
During the tests, we found that the LOS controller would still hang with
the IOC disconnected. Eventually the problem was traced to the 5 V
regulator output dropping below 4 V, resulting in the STAMP passing out.

PSL

2.0 OtherEngineering and Scientific Activities

2.1 Design/Analysis/Fab

Input Optics Spares

PSL

ISC

Antialiasing Filters

Suspension revisions, documentation

Janeen Romie
Working on documentation for new OSEMs.
Working on redesigning the top block and clamp to reduce thermal noise.

Mark Barton
This week I did a Rev D of the suspension balancing procedure
E970154, and a draft of a new version of T000003, incorporating
modifications made by Tiffany Summerscales and Gabriela Gonzales.

Pentek Units

Digital Suspension Controllers (DSC)

GDS

40 Meter Interferometer (Weinstein)

Thermal Noise Interferometer (Libbrecht)

This week we aligned the South Arm Cavity, placed broadband Pockels cells
in both the South and North Arm Cavity paths, and we brought both the
reflected and transmitted beams from each arm cavity out of the vacuum
chamber. The next step is to close the chamber, pump out, and begin lock
acquisition studies. However, we discovered some LED problems in the OSEMs
this morning, and are currently investigating.

We also investigated the pitch (fi), yaw (theta) and longitudinal (z)
modes of Mode Cleaner (MC) suspensions. By taking the amplitude spectral
density of the 4 sensor-head read-outs, with no damping enabled except for
the side control, we were able to locate the 3 modes. We then identified
the modes by observing the z, fi and theta monitors (these monitors convert
the signals from the 4 photodiodes to the z, fi and theta base). This
following table shows the results:

                Pitch                   Yaw                     Z       Bin size
----------------------------------------------------------------
NOMINAL 750 mHz         845 mHz         1 Hz (from T970135)
----------------------------------------------------------------
Input MC        782 mHz         845 mHz         1 Hz    10 mHz
Mirror
----------------------------------------------------------------
Output MC       820 mHz         850 mHz         1 Hz    10 mHz
Mirror
----------------------------------------------------------------
Back MC 765 mHz         860 mHz         1 Hz    16 mHz
Mirror
----------------------------------------------------------------

The resonances for the three mirrors are consistent with the SOS design.
The pitch mode for the Output MC mirror does not agree as well.

We then injected a signal, one at a time, in the z, fi and theta inputs to
see how well the 3 OSEMs were able to damp the excitation. We measured Qs
by observing the decay time of the excitation, of the order of ~10-15. The
z mode for the MC back mirror was found to be somewhat higher, Q~25. The
gain settings for the back OSEM will probably need to be adjusted. The
coil monitors for this OSEM also showed much higher offsets with respect to
the other controllers. The noise levels of the 15 sensor-head read-outs (5
per mirror) were found to be in the 1e-6 Vrms/rHz level @ 100 Hz.

LASTI (Zucker)

Data Analysis and Computing (Lazzarini)

Simulation and Modeling (Bhawal)

e2eLIGO package
---------------
Matt provided the latest lock acquisition code and some box files
revised for the new code. The update of the simulation engine with
the new code and a revised Han2k package - will be named e2eLIGO - is
under way.

Dual Recycling summation cavity
-------------------------------
Malik Rakhmanov of Univ. of Florida visits Caltech this week to make
a model of the fast simulation of a dual recycling Michelson cavity.
He revised his old document about the calculation and wrote a matlab
code. The code is now being tested by comparing with the e2e
primitive simulation.

Thermal lensing effect for LIGO I
---------------------------------
There was a discussion among Biplab, Malik, Matt and Hiro about the
implementation of the thermal lensing effect for LIGO I. As the
lowest correction, the effect will be accounted for by changing the
refractive index of the input test mass to a smaller number. In
effect, this keeps the curvature of the input test mass seen from the
PRM side larger, while the curvature in the arm cavity staying the same.

Lock acquisition Studies
------------------------
Biplab, Matt, Hiro discussed about analytical derivation of average locked
time.
(Biplab) The probability density functions for the lock acquisition time
have mean and spread values in the following order from lowest to highest
for same level of angular fluctuations in (i) End mirrors (ii) input
mirrors (iii) recycling mirror.

Spectral Estimator
------------------
(Andrea) Still working at the linear prediction module, trying to improve
numerical stability. Started to implement an alternate spectral estimator
based on LP as a way to cope with large dynamic ranges in the data.

Code Development
----------------
Expanding macro functions:
(Hiro) The macro function is expanded by supporting the path of box files,
as well the name of the primitive instance. The code implementation
is completed, and is being revised to make it more intuitive and
capable.

Code Maintenance & Validation
-----------------------------
(Biplab) Compared results of various cases of longitudinal motion,
misalignments, mode-mismatch in simple Fabry-Perot and coupled cavity
runs. Found some differences in results using primitives and summation
cavities.

E2E at CACR
-----------
(Ed Maros) Made file browser for jobber (a program to submit jobs remotely
to the V2500 systems).

Alfi
----
(Bruce) Fixing up remaining issues on parameter and input port settings
in Alfi.

LIGO Data Analysis System

* Worked on expanding my prototype test code for LAL FCT. This is mainly
to verify that everything we need to do with the FCT for the MDC can
actually be done and works properly.

- generates a list of tau0's and tau2's using Sathya's LAL coarse template
code (could also use the fine grid if we want)

- generates a 32-second time series @ 2048 Hz using a LAL noise model
(Gaussian, LIGO, GEO or whatever) and FFT's it.

- generates a chirp waveform in the freq. domain using our functional
form. I use the first two components of the chirp (Newtonian and 1PN) -
later it would be good to use all four -
(does not use the LAL functions for this - it would be nice if it did) and
adds the FFT'ed noise to it.

- Uses this data as the FCT input. Then, for each element in the list of
tau's we

        - generate the data cube corresponding to tau0 and tau2 (this is
          just one sample in the tau0 direction, one sample in the tau2
          direction and 327678 samples in the tc direction)
        - FCT the data cube

and remember where the tc, tau0, tau1 coefficients are
that correspond to the overall maximum power from the whole list of
skinny data cubes.

- Does not yet calculate any SNR's or use threshholds, it only looks for a
maximum. This probably won't go in the prototype as yet, but should go in
the wrapper eventually.

[Vicere']
* Data analysis
    - I have started to write down a small framecpp/framelib based tool
        for producing frames starting from data in ASCII format or provided by
user;
        this should be ready for the next MDC and allow to feed frames to the
        LDAS pipeline.

General Computing (Wallace)

MIT:
(Keith)
-Spec'd out SCSI-IDE disk array
-Spec'd out notebooks
-Received quotes for ldas cluster
-Verified ldas equipment sent

Livingston:
(Tom & Shannon)
-Checking out CISCO Pix system and others for network security solutions.
-Working on the ILOG and web server move which should take place this Friday.
-Working a number of network issues.

Hanford:
(Christine)
-The new Sun Forte6 compilers for C, C++, Fortran and High Performance
Computing have been installed on the application server and shared to
all the unix workstations on site. Turns out they require a system
patch from Sun to be installed on every workstation. I will have that
installed today.
-Had to install a new 36 GB disk on the application server to make enough
disk space for the compilers and future expansion. All 32 GB of user
account disk space is again becoming full. I will be moving more files
around to create more immediate disk space and will be looking into
buying perhaps a D1000 disk system.
-Setup a new scanner, took care of some finance discrepancies and worked
on updating the GC 2001 projected and actual budgets. Purchased several
items for users and investigated new disk farms and tape backup systems.

CIT:
(Lisa)
-Muscida had a cprboot failure. The nvram defaults got wiped out and needed to
be reset. This is probably related to the machine going into suspend mode.
-Built 2 new PC's
-Rebuilt the the OS on the new sunblade100. It had problems booting from the
internal CD drive. The error messages scroll by so quickly that I haven't been
able to determine what is happening. I am going to do more testing on it today.
-Put in a PO for an Orinoco Access Point and some 128 bit encryption wireless
cards. Which Larry has now ordered on his P-card.
-Continuing to support the 40m as they ramp up their network.
-Preparing for the Cadence upgrade/installation.

(Barbara)
- Imported latest data into Costbook and began testing changes made in
January.
- Cloned and installed the roster search tool so it can be used for the LSC
roster. The url is http://admdbsrv.ligo.caltech.edu/roster/
- Tracked down a bug in my contacts.cgi program that first occurred after a
recent update to the ldas_admin_mit distribution list. Also changed the
script to point to ldas_admin_all, the list formerly known as ldas_admin.
- Changed the VB programs that generate the LSC web rosters to make the
pages smaller and faster loading. Also made the same changes to the MOU
page. Created history pages for several new members. Updated MOU pages
with new reports/attachments.
- Worked on a clone of the LDAS home page for the folks at Penn State.
Worked with Albert to create an image map for an LDAS Visio drawing.
- Worked with Larry to set up password protection for the web page for the
NSF background documents.
- Once again the weekly compact job failed once again because the .ldb file
wasn't deleted. I ran the job by hand. The vendor just announced a new
version of the TimeTarget software so next effort will be to load that.
- Several quick web site changes -- LSC abstract, construction accounts,
etc. I have been doing a lot of housekeeping on the web site as I update
pages.
- Loaded WinSSH at home. Was able to update pages on the public web site
from home.

(Sam)
-Worked on Kris's computer it still needs some work.
-Worked on a laptop
-Worked on a few other minor issues

(Larry)
-Once again procurement related issues have been taking up most of the time.
Tracking down orders and getting paperwork for the P-card has been very time
consuming. A number of orders have been placed for new systems and wireless
equipment.
-Turned over the computers, digital cameras and projectors that are used for
loaning to Ed Chargois. Ed will now be the one that has to be contacted to check
the equipment out.
-Working on a number of financial reports for Albert and Phil. Mostly dealing
with the WAN and future procurements.
-Moved the computers and reworked the network wiring for the office shuffle that
took place in the basement of Bridge. Also, reworked some of the network cables
in the server room and the network closets. All of those locations need more
attention.
-Working with Lisa and the 40M group on a number of logistical items concerning
their network and new computer setup.

(Bruce)
-Ilog maintenance, additions, and development: (1.00 days)
- Preparation for ilog server move and the move itself this Friday.

LIGO II/Advanced R&D (Sanders)

Helena Armandula
Spent the last week at Stanford assisting with the
silicate bonding of prisms on GEO mirrors and
intermediate masses. The work is scheduled to finish
Friday 20th.

This weekly covers the last two weeks
Alessandro is in Japan helping Akiteru, Tatsuo et al. to setup the
suspensions.
Flanges, accelerometers and mechanics arrived in Hongo campus, digital
electronics in Customs in Tokyo.

Edwin,
Readout cards and acquisition program for 4 LVDT channels working,
upgrading to 16 channels and 4-8 termometers.

Alessandro, Akiteru, Tatsuo
Calibrating actuators for the mirror suspension and controls and LVDTs
and actuators for the IP.
Tested cable feed through vacuum flanges and found either outgassing or
some leaking, it may come from through the entire length of the
cables. Investigating.
Tomorrow start calibrating accelerometers and assemble the second
suspension with all voice coils on the aluminum test mass.
>From Monday expect to start measuring the transfer function measurements
of the suspensions.

Riccardo
New hard clamp and wedges for hysteresis tests received in Pasadena.
Assembling one test Penn State MGAS blade.
Sent in report for LIGO’s newsletters and reorganised the SAS
installation transparencies presented at the LSC meeting (The first
submittal was too large because of the many photographs).
You will be happy to see the SAS newsletters in the LIGO web page.

Fred
Measured the 7 first frequencies of the mini blades (1 hz, 200Hz, 370Hz,
470 Hz, 670 Hz, 930 Hz, 1200 Hz) for 2 different clamp spacing.
Slightly non linear versus load
Will transfer the results to charlotte and mathieu the two SURF student
for numerical comparison.
Working on thermal simulation and will hopefully send you the results by
the end of next week.

CR-000018	WBS 1.1.4	Curbing for Service Roads at Livingston	G. Stapfer
CR-000019	WBS 1.2	Additional Lab Equipment	D. Coyne
CR-000020	WBS 1.1.4	Staging Building and Renovations to Existing Building--Livigston	F. Asiri
CR-010001	WBS 1.1.4	Return of Unused Construction Budget to Contingency for Civil Construction	F. Asiri
CR-010002	WBS 1.2.1.1.6-7	Return of Unused Construction Budget to Contingency for ISC Design	S. Whitcomb
CR-010003	WBS 1.2.1.1.9	Return of Unused Construction Budget to Contingency for Detector Systems Engineering	S. Whitcomb
CR-010004	WBS 1.2.3.1	Return of Unused Construction Budget to Contingency for Physics Environment Monitoring	S. Whitcpomb

Weekly Report for Week Ending April 19, 2001

Special Announcements:

LSC Issues (Weiss)

LIGO I Construction/LIGO Laboratory Administration (Lindquist)