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The LIGO Executive Committee Agenda for Monday July 2, 2001 will be:
(Meeting time: 10:30 am Pacific Time)
Open meeting 10:30 - 11:30
Special Items: NSF actions on renewal funding
to: LSC executive committee
from: R. Weiss June 26, 2001
concerning: Notes from the LSC Executive committee June 22, 2001
Participation by Stanislaw Babak in the burst upper limit group was
discussed and approved. Babak is a member of the Cardiff group
associated with GEO and will be in the Cardiff/LIGO MOU.
Report from the Software Coordinator
---------------------------------------
1) Software CCB action on conventions for Fourier transform routines.
The LAL software uses one standard while the DMT and Data
Conditioning use another. The CCB will decide on a unified approach.
The impact on the software that will need to be changed is not great
(probably about 20 lines of code is affected).
2) Upper limit groups: The MDC's for the software being written for
the
burst and the stochastic background groups will take place at MIT
in early September. The LDAS developers will be at Caltech so that
the MDC will test the communication as well as the software. There
is some operational efficiency in running the two MDCs in parallel.
The periodic source upper limit group has not settled on an MDC and
appears to be running behind the other groups. The GEO contribution
will be for the full sky survey. The directed periodic source upper
limit software is not currently being worked on. The Doppler
correction code for the directed search has been written by GEO and
should be available.
Finally, Keith Riles is developing the software to search for periodic
signals generated by the environment and the detector - the so called
generic periodic software.
3) Hardware injection of signals: Each group wants to carry out
hardware injection and recovery of signals. Mike Zucker has taken
the responsibility with Daniel Sigg to determine what can be made
available by the E6 run.
Report from the LIGO Directorate
----------------------------------
1) GEO/LIGO MOU: The GEO/LIGO Mou for data policy has been signed.
GEO and LIGO will abide by the same publication policy and in all
other respects there will be complete symmetry between LIGO and GEO.
The privileges extended to visitors to GEO will be discussed case by
case in the same manner as visitors to LIGO.
2) PAC meeting:
a) The end to end modeling was reviewed and well received
b) The state of the scientific and technical support staff at the
LIGO remote sites was discussed. The PAC urged the Laboratory to
fill the openings.
c) The prospects for the LIGO renewal proposal at the NSF were
discussed. The reductions mandated by the NSF (almost on a
moment's notice), may not properly reflect the priorities of the
LIGO Laboratory and need to be reconsidered.
Report from LDAS
----------------
The LDAS "boot camp" was a success and other such "camps" should now
be planned to coincide with LSC meetings at the sites. Need to check
that the notes for the "camp" lectures are posted on the LSC web page.
Reports from the LSC committees
--------------------------------
Bruce Allen distributed the enclosed short document to begin the
committee's thinking about the future role of the LSC ASIS committee.
A discussion will take place at the next LSC Executive committee meeting.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------
The ASIS group was created at the March 1998 LSC meeting. Its
charter was
to develop algorithms, templates and methods to search LIGO data for
astrophysical signals, and to set upper limits on sources.
Two years ago, in August 1999, following the guidelines of the first
LSC
Data Analysis Whitepaper, the ASIS group divided up the highest-priority
coding tasks, helped to write a coding standard and style guideline
(for
the LAL library) and began creating a software base to use for LIGO
astrophysical data analysis. The process that began then is still
underway, but the end is coming in view. Groups and individuals
at the
AEI, Cardiff, CIT, Michigan, Penn State, UTB, UWM and elsewhere have
contributed code to the LAL library that can be used for Binary Inspiral
Searches, CW searches, Stochastic Background Searches, and Transient
Source Searches. The core of people who made up the ASIS group are
now
deeply involved in the work of the different upper limits groups.
The
integration of LAL code with the LDAS system is underway, and reasonable
extrapolation suggests that within the coming months, much of the work
begun in August 1999 will be finished.
This brings me to the question: what should the ASIS group do next,
when
the work that was started in August 1999 is largely complete? We had
some
open discussion of this at the March LSC meeting, and a number of ideas
were proposed. I've also talked privately with a few of you about this.
Some of the possibilities include:
(1) Organizing systematic testing of the scientific analysis codes that
have already been written.
(2) Regrouping to tackle theoretical problems that may be important
in
searching for astrophysical sources, but are not being agressively
persued
by the broad theoretical community.
(3) Carrying on with further development and refinement of data analysis
methods and algorithms.
(4) Porting data analysis codes to a Grid environment, where they can
take
advantage of national and international computing resources significantly
larger than those currently available to LIGO and the LSC.
(5) Organizing a follow-on to the work of the upper-limit groups.
I think that the ASIS group contains many dedicated and talented people
who have shown a remarkable ability to work together over the long
term.
While it's not vital to pick out a particular direction to emphasize
for
the future, I think the group will be more effective and productive
if we
try and choose a future focus for it. The LSC executive committee
should
help to decide this.
B. Allen
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
The next LSC executive committee meeting will be Friday
July 20, 2001 at 11AM EDT
WBS 1.2 LIGO Operations--Administration
There was a teleconference on Thursday, June 28. No report this week concerning matters discussed..
The list of current actions revised to reflect
open actions assigned through June 21, 2001 may be found at
ACTION
LIST.
From: Ed Chargois <chargois_e@ligo.caltech.edu>
>From: Linda Turner - turner@ligo.caltech.edu>
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. . .
ACCOMPLISHMENTS
ACTIVITY
| Packages | Faxes | |
| In | 41 | 29 |
| Out | 9 | 21 |
Press here to access the DOCUMENT CONTROL CENTER WEB PAGE.
From: Esther Cunningham <esther@ligo.caltech.edu>
Press here for ACCOUNTS PAYABLE HISTORY DATA.
From: "Brambila, Ruth" <Ruth.Brambila@caltech.edu>
From: irena@ligo.caltech.edu (Irena Petrac)
SUPPORT (Wood)
Progress Period from 06.22 to 06.28
Accomplishments:
WBS 1.4.1.2 Project Controls (LIGO Construction)
The end-of-May Quarterly Progress Report is due. I have received contributions from the Detector Group, the Data Analysis and Computing Group, and from the Project Controls Group. I have not started assembling the report yet.
I visited Vic Cook at the NSF on Wednesday to discuss a number of issues including how we can improve our subcontract submittals, Operations Work Plan revisions, the no-cost extension, the new Cooperative Agreement, and Reporting Requirements after this year. I will write a brief trip report.
The following Change Request has
been submitted:
| CR-010006 | WBS 1.1.4 (OPS) | Roof Shelter for Concrete Pad Adjacent to Erosion Control Pond (Livingston) | M. Coles |
Press for the latest Contingency Needs Projection.
From: Kris Duncan <kris@ligo.caltech.edu>
http://docuserv.ligo.caltech.edu/
no report
PSL: The PSL table has been re-laid to conform to the short path as in the LHO 2k and 4k. There is light now available for HAM1 and alignment. The reference cavity still needs to be aligned and will be accomplished shortly. (Joe Kovalik, Peter King)
Detector re-installation progress: Replacement of the OSEM's and realignment at the Y end station is now complete and the doors have been replaced on the BSC. Rolf and Rus are installing and testing the new vacuum control software to see how it controls the LN cryopump level. Alignment of the output optics is just now beginning. Mode cleaner optics have been reprocessed and re-suspended and are now being installed in the vacuum system.
Control room: I am working to get the following tasks completed before
the Vertex goes to vacuum and we get back to Control Room operations:
Revising and updating the operator's training log
Overseeing the completion of the checklist through its final configuration
Ensuring all data tools are functioning properly
Ensuring all PEM hardware/software is functioning properly
Obtaining adequate information on all software and configuration changes
to the CDS system for operation and training.
(Rich Riesen)
Outreach: Bonnie Wascom conducted educational outreach at the Baker
Library today. We had over 100
kids show up to learn about the properties of light. Mark Coles gave
a presentation at the public library in New Orleans Monday night. Approximately
80 people showed up to learn about LIGO.
| Installation&
Commissioning:
Livingston |
Other Science/EngineeringActivities:
Issues/Concerns |
See also the Installation web page
Much of the effort this week has been to get the ISC tables up and running. On ISCT7 we have commissioned the EO shutter, and cleaned up all the potential grounding problems. In doing so, we found a missing ground connection in the EO shutter controller and fixed all the units on site. ISCT10 is a bit of a kludge, because we had to deviate from the original design last winter when we were working at low power (moving some detectors to temporary locations where they could get enough light). We are now trying to restore it to its design configuration
The pickoff beam from the ITMX was found and used to position ISCT9. The periscope hads been aligned and the beam is now available on the table. This beam had not been present before so this is an improvement from last winter's alignment. Unfortunately, the ITMY pick-off has gotten lost. These two pick-offs are redundant so there is no real problem, but we will have to stop using the tropical-sounding acronym POY for the menacing POX.
We opened the arms to the midsatation to again. In addition to aligning the interferometer again, we locked the Y arm. We fumbled for an hour or so before we remebered where all the right buttons were, but got stable locks without too much fussing.
We commissioned the WFS alignment system for the modecleaner. This required debugging one lost rf connection and remasurement of the rf phase and the matrix coefficients for the feedback loop. Plugged in the numbers and it worked like a charm, achieving a better alignment than we had been able to achieve by hand.
Measured the Q's of the 28 kHz drumhead internal mode of the 3 modecleaner mirrors. MC3 showed a Q of about 1e6, while the other two are around 1e5.
Luca Matone
I am continuing the characterization of the LIGO controllers, focusing
this time on the digital LSC controllers. I was able to track down (thanks
to Matt and Nergis) the latest file containing the coefficients. In order
to interpret these values I wrote a matlab program that reads the coefficients
and returns the poles, zeros and gains (in the analog domain) of each filter
(the boosts, the 13HzRG the 2kBW and so on). Eventually, all of this information
will also be included into an e2e model of the 2k IFO.
The bias module for the digital suspension was tested and Epics controls set up for convenient pitch and yaw control of the optics. The bias module shows a significant nonlinearity under load; this is under investigation.
ISCT1 was completed and roughly positioned by HAM1.
The beam splitter was re-hung and positioned into the chamber. It will be bolted to the table in rough alignment today (6/28).
All of the input optic suspensions were re-hung, following the re-bonding, re-work and re-bake of the mode cleaner optics. As of yesterday all of the input optics are back into the HAM chambers and alignment has started today. It is anticipated that the initial alignment will be completed by tomorrow. Final pre-pump down alignment will then wait for the recycling cavity re-alignment.
The recycling cavity re-alignment (with the COS laser autocollimator) will begin today (6/28) with a check of the APS port alignment to the ITMy optic. A re-confirmation of the stability of the ITMy alignment and a final alignment of the ITMx awaits receipt of the Newport LDS-1000 laser autocollimator from Hanford late today. (Livingston is exchanging their more sensitive laser autocollimator with Hanford's so that the ETMy,4k alignment can be completed at Hanford.) We hope to get to the X-end station the week of 7/9 to replace the ETMx OSEMs and check the cleanliness of the this optic and chamber. We currently anticipate starting to close up & pump down the vertex vacuum volume early the week of 7/19.
A Q test of the small optics suspension pendulum modes was completed in the bell jar in the Livingston Lab for MCM2. Although this test may have only set a lower bound on the suspension Qs (due to poor coupling of the suspension structure base to the granite table), it was gratifying to see markedly better Qs than before, Qs than were linear with amplitude (indicating that the workmanship is good) and the pitch frequency is close to the design value (previously the standoffs had been set too high). Details can be found here: (username: reader, password: readonly)
The CDS vacuum controls are being updated and check out. The PID controller for the LN2 level in the cryopump in the y-end station is being exercised. Field wiring to the pressure gauges has been checked, etc.
The PSL and IO table re-layout is progressing well and should be completed (or nearly so) by the end of this week.
Mike Smith
The COS autocollimator alignment equipment is staged and ready to begin
the alignment of the vertex optical trains.
The PSL table was stripped bare, except for the IO periscope. The 10-W laser was moved from one end of the table to the other, to accommodate the new optical layout. The output of the laser has been aligned into the pre-modecleaner (PMC) and the PMC output has been aligned through the IO chain. The IO phase modulators have been installed as well as the modecleaner mode-matching lenses. A small pick-off beam was aligned and double-passed through the acousto-optic modulator.
NDAS: The current status of the transferred data and project summary
can be seen at:
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~ndas/
http://wwwcascina.virgo.infn.it/otherDetectors/NdasStatus.html
Mindrum Precision have been having problems with super-polishing the 1 inch diameter Corning 7980 substrates.
The paperwork to repair NPRO #259 has been submitted. We still have not heard from Lightwave Electronics about the status of 10-W laser #110.
Lee has shipped off the reference cavity and PMC to LASTI.
Rick Karwoski
Last week in Hanford we installed the prototype intensity stabilization
servo electronics in the 2K. We encountered Mode Cleaner difficulties
and we were unable to close the feedback loop around the Mode Cleaner.
However, we were able close the loop at the Laser and monitor out-of-the-loop
performance with an auxiliary PD. With about 6-8 mw of light on both
detectors we were able to suppress the noise to a few parts in 10e8. We
found that the out-of-the loop-results tracked the in-the-loop performance.
On Friday, we managed to make a preliminary measurement of the Mode Cleaner
output. We found initially that the baseline intensity noise at the Mode
Cleaner output was not affected by the intensity stabilization.
Sander Liu
In the process of generating an overall schematic drawing of the electronics
in the system.
Rolf Bork, Lori Robison
Lori has started work on adding EX/TP to digital suspension control
coil driver code.
Masahiro Ito delivered a new DMT code to support one dimensional histograms. The next step will be to add it to the dmt viewer.
The "code merger" of DMT and DTT is in full swing. This will allow us to make DTT features available in the DMT (dmtviewer, lidax, support packages, etc.) And it will make it easier to support linux/intel in a consistent way.
A first design cycle has been started for the event analysis program/ package. It will be integrated into the DMT and make heavy use of C++ features such as operator overloading to support event conditions and column math (should all be transparent to the user).
This week we closed the chamber, pumped out, and successfully locked
the north arm cavity. We checked the south arm cavity and found that it
still acquired lock without difficulty. We are now able to lock both arms
independently. Hold times are somewhat short, typically 1-2 seconds for
the north cavity and 10-20 seconds for the south, with about 20 seconds
being the longest observed time for each cavity. These short hold times
prevent us from locking both arms simultaneously, and we are currently
trying to improve them.
Both cavities exhibit strong resonances around 30kHz while locked. This
is well above our estimated unity-gain frequency and is independent of
the gain of the servo or the mode we are locking to. We are currently building
a notch filter to try and suppress these resonances.
LASTI (MacInnis, Miller, Heefner, Romie, Torrie, Robertson,
Shoemaker, Rollins, Mittleman, Harry, Ottaway, Mason, Mason,
Barker, Zucker):
Quad pendulum: After an extended holiday in Customs at Logan Airport,
the quad pendulum prototype from Glasgow finally arrived in good shape,
along with Calum Torrie and Norna Robertson from Glasgow and Janeen
Romie from Caltech. The structure has been cleaned and will be
rolled
into the high bay to stand up and crane into the test chamber
(previously used for the "stiff" isolator prototype) today. The
blade
springs are due to arrive separately this afternoon. Meanwhile
Rich
Mittleman installed STACIS feet under the test chamber to reduce the
seismic background for the quad experiment, and is testing them with
accelerometers for proper mass and moment.
Vacuum system: After much effort to calibrate, repair and corroborate
our leak detector and system RGA (and a brief wild goose chase after
helium that got into an annulus by mistake), we're pretty confident
that the BSC bellows flange leak reported last time is just barely
above the test criterion limit. Due to our unusual situation
with no
internal SEI structure yet to support the crossbeams, we would need
to
build special tooling and/or remove the BSC dome to fix it. As
a
result we've decided to live with the minor nuisance and sit tight
until the LIGO II internal SEI structure arrives before we go in and
fix the seal.
In the meantime the pressure continues to come down (now at 1e-6 torr)
and is dominated, as expected, by desorbing water vapor. No
significant change in hydrocarbon levels is seen after the completion
of the SEI internal supports and bellows, which is a relief.
PSL: We moved the PSL table to the end of the left arm and cordoned
off
the area with welding curtains for upcoming PSL assembly. Jamie
Rollins has completed the PSL layout drawing and inventoried all the
myriad parts received from Peter King and Lee Cardenas at Caltech.
Jay
Heefner helped us install the PSL crate, controller and IO boards in
the rack. Still waiting on the analog modules, crossconnects
and the
laser itself but the EPICS stuff and front end CPU are all working
now.
CDS backbone and DAQ: Jay Heefner has configured and wired up our relay
racks, and Jay and Dave Barker (by remote) have brought up our analog
input, frame builder, RAID disk array, CDS network and EPICS
infrastructure. Keith Bayer set up a gateway machine 'aneirin' to link
our CDS and GC sides. Myron installed the GPS antennas on the roof
and
our GPS timing setup worked right out of the box. The suspension
and
DAQ racks are now operating, and the SOS controller which will be used
in the first phase of the experiment is functional
_______________
E2E MODELLING:
_______________
e2e LIGO-1 meeting
------------------
The second e2e LIGO-1 meeting was held on June 26. This meeting is
to
establish good communication between the e2e group and the hardware
experts. The summary of the meeting is available in
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~e2e/actions/Mtg_06-26-01.htm
Weekly Physics meeting
----------------------
Malik Rakhmanov talked about the physics of the single-loop suspended
3D
mirror (mainly based on document T000134). Hiro Yamamoto talked about
the
implementation of a 3D suspended mirror module in E2E based on these
equations.
E2E-frame interface
-------------------
(Andrea) The e2e -> frame generation tool is available in
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~avicere/Fbe/doc/html/index.html,
see in particular the "table2frame" tool among the examples.
Detector characterization for LSC modeling
------------------------------------------
(Luca) continuing the characterization of the LIGO controllers, focusing
this time on the digital LSC controllers. The details are given in
the
detector section of this weekly report.
Mode Mismatch
-------------
(Biplab & Hiro) More cases of asymmetric cavities are studied.
Although
in a number of cases results matched well with theoretical expectations,
in certain other cases (some involving just a change in parameter
value from a good-result case), results seem not to follow the theory.
Studying those cases more carefully.
Signal source generation
------------------------
Kathy Cooksey, SURF student, is writing a JAVA program to calculate
a
time series of the strain caused by various signal sources. The
output is stored in a file, which e2e will read to generate the
signal induced by the GW source.
Simple 3d mass primitive note updated
-------------------------------------
The document about the single suspended mass primitive based on Malik's
calculation has been updated. It will be included in T000134, a note
describing the dynamics of a single suspended mass.
Alfi
----
(Hiro)
The base design of new alfi was discussed by Bruce, Melody, Ed, Matt
and Hiro. Bruce is finalizing the details. Hiro is writing the design
requirement document of new alfi. For this new alfi development, two
licenses of commercial software library JGo were purchased after the
evaluation by Bruce and Melody. This library contains many of the GUI
gadgets alfi uses. The distribution of products using this library
is
loyalty free.
(Bruce)
- Finishing class document summarizing the proposed implementation
of
Alfi in Java.
- Continuing design of the interface between the JGo library and the
non-graphical elements of the new Alfi system.
(Ed Maros)
Continued to work on reducing the screen refresh requests for Alfi.
(Melody)
- Received the production version of the JGo Java library and integrate
the new library with the code. Did some performance testing
with the
new package.
- Researched on available Java products that can read .xbm files.
- Got feedback from the group about the directory structure of the
new
Alfi. The suggestions have been integrated in the makefiles.
- More discussions about the new Alfi design.
- Started on porting the Node Settings dialog to Java.
______________
General Computing
_________________
MIT:
Should be receiving a SUNBlade 1000 box this week.
Livingston:
Check the following location for Livingston network usage.
http://kahuna.net.lsu.edu/mrtg/remrouters/ligo-lsu-t1.html
Hanford:
(Christine)
- Rack mounted the new D1000 disk array in the GC server rack.
Installed a differential SCSI host adapter card in the server for the
D1000. I have run out of slots on the back of the server.
I had to
daisy chain the tape robot and 18 GB external disk drive in order to
make room for the D1000. Turns out the tape robot gets SCSI time-out
and
resync errors when daisy chained and is un-usable. Will replace
the
server's graphics card with a SCSI card for the tape robot for the
current time.
- Created Sun file systems on the D1000, decided how to best split
the
home accounts across the 216 Gb. Decided to only use 6 of the
12 disks
in the D1000 to start. This leaves the other 6 as backups and
for
future expansion when needed.
- This Saturday, 6/30/01, the GC server, with the home accounts, will
be
shutdown most of the day to move home accounts onto the D1000.
There
will be no login or e-mail during this time.
- Installed some software for one of the SURF students. Setup
a few new
modem and user accounts. Advised several users to change their
passwords. Helped users with various PC problems.
-Sent Larry a copy of a sample testing of network usage. There are
long periods
each day which the T1 is being used to capacity.
CIT:
(Mike)
-Working on a webpage link for VRMS and an instruction sheet.
-Barry Barish, new laptop loading all software and drivers for peripherals.
I will continue tomorrow.
-Continued loading users laptop.
-Tested audio on VRVS this is now working.
-Have a new student that started with us Mick, showing him how to load
the
standard software that goes on CIT PC's.
-Built a backup workstation for ghost images.
-Continued on site user support which included upgrading and replacing
hardware as well as patching OS's.
-Problem with IBM backup software on an IBM Thinkpad x21, this unit
came
with a backup hard drive that seem to work out great as long as you
used
the original software. I made copies of all software to have a backup.
I
then tried to run an additional backup using the backup floppy to start
this procedure. This turned out to be a close disaster. The software
turned
out to be licensed and somehow corrupted the user operating system.
I then
restored from the first backup. I have to contact IBM to further
investigate this matter.
(Barbara)
-Installed changes to costbook web reports. Contingency, staff
benefits,
and indirect costs are broken out from the line item costs. Posted
latest
PDF summary and detail reports.
-Created a general computing incident form for hacks, viruses, spams,
misuse, etc. Read the PHP Developers Guide and am beginning work
on PHP
web pages and a mySQL database for GC incidents. At first glance,
PHP
appears to be more robust and easier to use than WebBase.
-Installed changes to document log search tool to include more searching
options.
-Worked with ITS and Stuart Anderson to get an SSL certificate for
ldas-sw.
-Posted LSC documents and a meeting announcement. Showed Rita
Torres how to
create and post a web page.
-Cleanup up my laptop for return to GC. Met with Tom Frey about
the
costbook and Mike Pedraza about the NT boxes in the server room.
(Lisa)
-Setup an HP CDR on sol 8. I can use mkisofs and cdrw to create
rock
ridge format CDs. This is all command line based but works so
much better
than the pc-compatible burners.
-Setup a few new accounts.
-Got the Sun forte 6 (visual workshop) compilers running on
sirius. These run great via automount on solaris 8. If
you run them
straight off of sirius, they have a library error that you can circumvent
by putting /usr/ccs/lib before /usr/lib in the LD_LIBRARY_PATH.
I have
not yet added in the workshop 5 licenses to re-enable those compilers.
- I spent most of the week working on getting Sun Solstice backup to
play
nicely with the cybernetics robot. It turns out that the cybernetics
has
multiple emulation modes that get set with one switch. The emulation
modes required (so far) for solstice backup are 9 (for the solaris
OS) and
C (for the AIT-2). It's been trench warfare but I got my first
successful
backup of a single client this morning.
(Mik)
-Learned process of loading PCs from Mike, with one laptop as an example.
-Learned how to use Ghost to blow images.
-Attended meeting with Extreme Networks reps.
-Made copies of all the software needed to load PCs.
-Attempted to diagnose keyboard problem on Dell laptop, unsuccessfully.
-With Mike, installed 60 Gb hard drive on PC for use in storing PC
images.
Loaded necessary software onto 1 PC and stored an image on the new
60 Gb
drive.
-With Mike, verified one laptop did not need to be reloaded, but cleared
unnecessary files.
-Setup four PCs to use Eudora through SSH (technically part of the
loading
process of these PCs, but just learned today)
-Attended SysAdmin meeting
(Larry)
-Worked a number of purchase related issues. Purchased a couple more
SUNBlade
1000's to replace servers and help with a LDAS issue needing another
SUN450. The
GC SUN450 being used for testing s/w will be used at CACR for LDAS
work and will
be replaced with a SUNBlade 1000.
Put in a trade-in order with SUN for a SUNBlade 1000.
The Exceed licenses were renewed and all put under one license pkg.
Resolved a few billing issues with SUN, Dell, MCSi, and a few others.
It seems
they all have problems with getting the correct information in their
systems.
Tracking down a LDAS order for a couple of SUNBlade 1000 units, that
they place
a month ago.
-Repaired a couple of PC's. Worked with Mike on a couple of his jobs.
-Working on getting a policy statement with the sysadmin group. The
policy will
be sent to Gary and Albert the first of next week for their changes.
-Replaced the batteries in a UPS unit. Also, reset a couple of the
servers.
-Working out the logistics to get more disk space on-line. Also, trying
to sift
through the information from others on their latest disk discoveries
to decide
which disk system to purchase at this time.
-Working on a couple of WEB modifications and working with other groups
on the
project to see what resources are needed to update our Webservers.
_____________
LDAS Software
_____________
We are back in development mode after the successful release
of LDAS 0.0.18. To support future engineering runs and MDC's,
code is being developed to retrieve data (spectra and/or response
functions) from the database as part of a data pipeline to the
MPI search processed on the Beowulf.
We are also examining the issue of migrating compilers and platforms.
Currently we are compiling with GCC 2.95.3 on Linux RedHat 6.2, with
the 2.2.x kernel. Since GCC 3.0 has been released we have begun to
do test compilations using GCC 3.0 on RH 6.2 and RH 7.1, which is
shipped with the 2.4.x kernel. So far ObjectSpace has been completely
converted to GCC 3.0. The changes to port the rest of LDAS appear to
be simple but there are a great many of them, mainly to standardise
the code to ANSI usage of the "std" namespace.
There have been enhancements to the control and monitor
API and to the manager API, and a continuation of the investigation
into occasional segmentation faults seen in the dataconditioning API.
These seem to be a problem with clashes between threads when performing
certain operations such as FFT's. A simpler interface to FFTW has been
implemented to test this.
>From vicere_a@ligo.caltech.edu Thu Jun 28 12:20:00 2001
There are new frame generation tools in
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~avicere/Fbe/doc/html/index.html
which can be used for the next MDCs.
From: Helena Armandula <ahelena@ligo.caltech.edu>
Silicate bonding
Interesting data is coming out from the last sodium silicate bonding tests.
These " pulling" tests were performed on bonded fused silica substrates
of 1/2" dia.
Tested baked and unbaked bonds prepared with 1:4 and 1:6 bonding solution
(sodium silicate solution : DI water ratio).
The results show that the strength of bonds made with different mix ratios is quite similar.
However, bonds that have been baked at 120 degrees C for 24 hours show higher strength and their performance is more consistent.
Some statistical results on "pulling" tests performed on unbaked bonds
(9 samples)
Mean= 72.4 kg
Standard deviation= 14.5 kg
Hi= 88 kg
Low= 48 kg
Median= 80 kg
Average absolute deviation from median= 11.3 kg
Some statistical results on "pulling" tests performed on baked bonds
(7 samples)
Mean= 99 kg
Standard deviation= 7.19 kg
Hi= 107 kg
Low= 86 kg
Median= 99 kg
Average absolute deviation from median= 5.14 kg
Next, we plan to test bond strenght on silicate/sapphire substrates.
From Jay Heefner:
LASTI
======================================
- The initial DAQ system for LASTI is installed and operational. The
initial setup includes the Suspension, and PSL slow channels and 64
ADC
channels.
- The suspension control rack, software and operator screens are fully
installed and operational. The only thing left is the installation
of
the satellite amps and the cabling to them. This will be done when
the
cable trays are in place.
- The PSL software, ooperator screens and VME cards have been tested
and
are operational. They will be moved to the PSL rack when it is
complete.
From Rich Abbott:
No new progress to report on the capacitance position sensors as we
are now waiting delivery of the first unit plus test fixture.
From Mike Smith:
40 METER
Parts lists of the external optical tables are complete. Detailed drawings
with annotated parts lists of the external optical tables are in process.
From Rick Karwoski:
Custom Boards GEO/Spares
Work is in process on the build and test of the PSL boards. Our near-term
goal is to provide at least one spare set and one set for GEO. Don Clausen
has delivered five Freq Ref cards last week ready for test. Two Freq Stab
boards will follow in about a week.
LASTI
Coordination of PSL installation trip to MIT with Peter King/Dave O.
in process. Cross connect will be completed today. Our goal is to have
the Electronics/cabling, etc. boxed up early next week and shipped to MIT.
40m.
Frequency Stabilization and PMC loops are currently locked. Performance
has not yet been evaluated.
From: Riccardo DeSalvo <desalvo@ligo.caltech.edu>
Alessandro
Defending his thesis he earned a special
praise from the entire
committee.
Working on 30 kHz actuator cooling.
Brett
I took another data set for the modified apparatus where the springs
were
slightly stretched (much more similar to their probable operating
conditions). Again I started "in the middle" and moved a direction
and
then back. Like last time, the initial movement showed nice linear
behavior but the return is much more erratic. The springs do
not
stretch
evenly and since their elasticity is a strong function of strain this
is
bound to create a nonlinear response. Although this may appear
troublesome
now, the actual actuating springs will be stretched even less (primarily
stress below detwinning threshold) and a much more linear and
controllable
actuation should result. We need longer (11 inch?) springs to
properly
and
completely simulate this. I had to return the power supply so
these
back
and forth measurements had to stop.
Lia:
"In the last week I checked the electrical cable in the box that is
connected at the SA and I labeled the cables.
And I studied the book about the creep measurements."
Studied data acquisition with the National Instruments books.
Hongo activity
First tower fine, but lost time in fixing cabling details,
diagonalisation delayed, in vacuum diagonalisation data looks good
already.
Riccardo, Alessandro
Going to visit Faimond to define Ultrasound MC milling machine.
Riccardo
Now in Virgo.
Although I have been here only half a day it
is worth giving my
immediate reactions. I am very impressed by the
performance.
The inner interferometer is still working with
the auxiliary injection
bench. The marionetta damping is not as
impressive as Akiteru’s, it
takes a few minutes to cool down, but still very
effective. As soon as
you see one to a few fringes a second passing
by, you switch on the
mirror and marionetta feedback and lock immediately
(I am told that if
you wait longer it stays either dark or bright).
Walking on the tower
structures bothers the lock and does not allow
development (hunting for
defects). Operating the crane overhead
for more than a minute finally
overwhelms the marionetta dynamic range and the
lock is lost. Although
obviously it does not shake the IP feedback out
of lock, the crane
operation impedes IFO lock acquisition.
The output mode cleaner works on the bright fringe,
has not enough
power (microwatts) in the dark fringe.
Will work as soon as power
recycling will come online (possibly next week).
The input bench is developed in parallel and
works reasonably with in
lock times of tens of minutes, still some software
to be tuned.
For additional information about this report, contact sanders@ligo.caltech.edu