Weekly Report for Week Ending December 12, 2002

The LIGO Executive Committee Agenda for Monday  December 16, 2002 will be:

CANCELLED DUE TO GWDAW MEETING
 

Special Announcements:

Weekly Report Highlights
 

LSC Issues (Weiss)

no report

LIGO I Construction/LIGO Laboratory Administration (Lindquist)

LIGO Operations--Administration

There was a site teleconference held on Thursday, December 12, 2002.  The following issues were among those discussed:

This is probably the last meeting of the year 2002 unless something pressing comes up.  The next meeting is tentatively scheduled for the first week in January.

Hanford Auditorium--Gary met with Tom Lucatorto (NSF) concerning public use of the Hanford Auditorium.  Tom has to meet with the appropriate people at NSF.

Cost vs Budget Status--Last year LIGO spent $30.4 million on Operations and Advbanced R&D.  The first two months of this year we are spending at a reate of $2.5 million.  The FY2003 projection with months that increment up for three pay periods, etc., is $32 million.

We are currently down about 11 people relative to budget.

Civil Construction at Livingston--The construction contract with Brunt has been closed.  Need to review the punch list for items where there is potential residual cost exposure and get those items on a contingency liens list.  An example is the air handler.  There is a design issue that will require mitigation.

Civil Construction at Hanford--Status of the punch list for Hanford Building: the doors represent the only significant punch list item.

Property--Ed is going to Livingston to conduct an property inventory sometime around January 6...depends somewhat on Livingston schedules.

Traffic control systems--Hanford has solicited additional quotes and is proceeding, Livingston has some verbal quotes, but nothing on paper.

Power Costs at Hanford--There will be an 8.3 percent increase in Hanford electric rates starting January 1, 2002.  This was just approved by the Washington State Public Utilities Commission.  Hanford needs to review how much of this, if any, has been budgeted.

The list of current actions revised to reflect the status of open actions assigned through December 12, 2002 may be found at ACTION LIST.

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

• Nothing significant to report.

>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

• No report this week.
• Reminder to LIGO staff:  Please make sure that as a minimum, each document submitted has a LIGO number, author's name, and date.  It's surprising how many documents are missing one of more of these essential pieces of information!

ACTIVITY

• Continued reviewing a very extensive list of all "C" document numbers that have been reserved, verifying if they have been entered into the DCC database.
• Electronic document activity remains steady.
• Entered a number of documents into the DCC database.

 


For Week Ending  12/12/02	Packages	Faxes
In	36	30
Out	11	19

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

Press here for ACCOUNTS PAYABLE HISTORY DATA .

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

• Completed Change Order #2 and the internal mod to transfer funds on the European Gravitational Observatory.  The draft was cut and sent out to EGO.  The blanket order for Jailand Ralls was completed.  Change Order 24 and an internal mod were issued to Butler.  Change Order #4 to Burns was completed.  Change Order #11 to Venturi was completed.  Change Order #5 to Air Liquide was completed.  Change Order #8 for Kaufman was completed.
• The close out letter was sent to Brunt Construction.
• Benton County just submitted a notice of rate increase for electricity at LHO.
• Pcard orders were placed and reconciled.
• Pricewaterhouse is auditing five LIGO subcontracts:  Benton County, Lightwave Electronics, University of Florida, Galli and Morelli and Senior Flexonics.  The folders were submitted to PWC.
• 108 PO's were closed.  I still have 4 pages left of PO's to close before December 31, 2002.

• Completing Purchase Orders for Joe Hanson, Janeen Romie, and Jay Heefner.
• Preparing PO for Williamsburg Hospitality House so that we can pay that invoice.
• Working on a return for Ken Mason at MIT.

• Completed all financial reports for November.
• Closed all fiscal period 2001 Operations accounts - balance unexpended from the fiscal period 2001 Award is $4.08. [this is the amount left over from $68 million...now we start working on the Construction part--pel]
• Responded to request from Project Accounting for funding realignments in Construction accounts.
• Prepared a schedule showing allocation of projected under spend of  approximately  $4 million to various tasks [FY2002].  Schedule showing this allocation is included in the November FY2003 Operations report.
• Requested and received clarification from Dick Seligman, at Sponsored Research, as to final dates for commitments and payments for items to be charged to the Construction Award.

 
• Financial reports can be found at: http://docuserv.ligo.caltech.edu/~fireport

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

• Northrop: CO No. 33, incorporating FY'03 rate adjustments for contract labor, was released to Purchasing.
• EGO: The last installment towards LIGO' cost share in support of the Phase I AdLIGO coating R&D was released.

The contract with Brunt Construction for the Livingston Staging Building has finally been closed.  The auditorium floor has been accepted, and a smaller pulley has been installed on the HVAC to reduce noise.  Ed Jasnow handed the retention check of $112,000 to Michael Ragusa, president of Brunt, to officially end the contract.

Although the installation of the smaller pulley reduced the HVAC noise somewhat, it is still quite loud in the high bay area.  This is because the design has the blower right behind the return grille.  Although the noise level is within acceptable limits, a study of a possible re-design will be performed.

Chervenell Construction will be given a change order on the Hanford Laboratory Building.  This will be for extension of the sunshade and installation of a second set of glass doors in the front.

OPERATIONS:

We have received notice from the Benton County Public Utilitiy Disrict that electricity rates at Hanford will be increased by 8.3% beginning January 1, 2003.  This increase was just approved by the State of Washington.

SUPPORT (Baldon, Lloyd, Tischler)

>Irene Baldon

• Processed the paper work for six (6) new/revised trips and there are ten (10) trips which are in various stages of completion before ticketing can be done and/or paper work completed.  Also assisted a number P-Card holders with their travel plans/reservations or revisions.  Worked on several foreign trips which required extensive time.
• Completed ten (10) Expense Reports and there are eight (8) reports yet to be done.  I continue to contact travelers who have outstanding Expense Reports (more than one (1) month old) to ask for their cooperation in sending me their receipts so that I can close their trip(s).  Travel Audit has gotten tighter with outstanding trips since October 1st.
• Reconciled thirteen (13) P-Card items which required numerous phone calls to hotels, etc. in order to track down which traveler incurred which charge; and the pulling of each traveler's file to assure that charges are correct for each fee incurred.  Assisted a few travelers with their questions in regard to their P-Card and/or reconciliation.
• Worked on the preparation and distribution of the Travel/Vacation Itinerary for December 9, 2002.  Performed normal recording and filing associated with Travel and Reimbursement.

 
• I continue to do MIT's travel to the sites for installation activities and also to assist them wherever possible.

• Processed the usual invoices for payment and tracked and followed up on invoice problems. Reviewed and recorded payments processed by Esther the week of December 2.
• Processed the usual requisitions, change orders and payment requests.  Continue to monitor contract and blanket order encumbrance and notify task managers when supplements are needed.  Continue to work on update of PO Log books and caught up on some filing.
• Jim continues with data entry in the LIGO database and helping out in the DCC.

• P-card clean-up after handling several orders at the end of November.
• Setting up LIGO/Seismo Lab tour for John Muir Elementary School.

Advanced LIGO (Frey)

Weekly Advanced LIGO Project Controls meeting was not held this week.

For list of documents that are being used to develop Adv. LIGO Cost and Schedule, see http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~tfrey/Cost_MTG_082002/

Advanced LIGO MRE Proposal (Highest Priority)

• Continuing the development of the Cost Estimate.
• The following is a summary of status by sub system:
• COC - Work on action items per second review continues.  Garilynn continues to execute action items.
• PSL -  Peter is working on re-distribution of scope between LZH and LIGO.  Posted revised meeting minutes.
• AOS - Work on action items continues.  Next meeting date has not been scheduled.  Per Mike Smith, no contact has been made with MIT regarding outstanding items.
• IO -  Work on action items continues.  Next meeting date has not been scheduled.
• SUS - Working with Janeen doing updates and action items.  Janeen is working on costing adjustments and re-distribution of scope between Glasgow and LIGO.  Posted revised meeting minutes.
• SEI - To date, no work on action items has been completed.  Next meeting date has not been scheduled.
• ISC - Mike continues to work on the WBS dictionary.  No comments as of 12.12.02 on the draft detailed schedule and no WBS dictionary.
• LDAS - Received data from Albert and I am in the process of reviewing and processing.
• INSTALL - Finished importing data into the cost book and revised baseline plan accordingly.  Provided Dennis Coyne with WBS Dictionary Template BOE Template.  No comments as of 12.12.02.
• DAQ - Jay has provided a WBS dictionary.  I am providing a MS project template for time phasing.
• PM - Provided a WBS dictionary template for Phil to start.
• Per Gary and Dennis' direction, I should begin receiving data for all subsystems to prepare for submittal of January 17, 2003.

• Met with Eric Black and discussed revised baseline plan for next update.

• ROSTER DATABASE:
• Continued to run tests to confirm that the hot fix has corrected the issue.
• Working with Larry and Barbara to set up a process by which the roster database updates selected alias lists.
• Corresponded with BK and she is working creating a single form for data entry.

• COST BOOK DATABASE:
• Continue to verbally communicate the username and password to users.
• Will be working with BK to modify reports / web reports per comments.
• BK is continuing work on action items.

Project Web Site for posting schedule and progress related data continues to be updated with the latest and greatest.

• See http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~tfrey/index.html

The annual report is due to be submitted to the NSF at the end of December, covering activities from December 2001 through November 30, 2002.  This Annual Report is required for the old (Construction Funds) Cooperative Agreement, and the focus is the end of Construction, Installation, and Commissioning, not Scientific Results. Instructions given during the Executive Committee Meeting Monday to make it short were a welcome simplification, ans a first draft is nearly ready.

Meanwhile, to support the proposal early next year for a LIGO upgrade, we will be preparing an update to the Annual Report for Operations that was submitted to the NSF in September.

There are currently no open change requests to be considered by the LIGO Chnage Control Board, and there were no change requests addressed during the Executive Committee Meeting on Monday, December 9, 2002.  We have requested Hanford to submit a change request to cover the costs to complete the building construction effort there.

From: Cindy Akutagawa <cindy@ligo.caltech.edu>

• Various personnel/payroll /HR related work.

Quality/Safety (Tyler)

Coordinated a meeting with personnel from Caltech Safety and LIGO LSO to clarify LIGO baseline eye exam protocols. After some discussion, it was agreed that LIGO should consider revising the LIGO Laser Safety Program using, as a guideline, the recommendations of the ANSI for Safe Use of Lasers in Educational Institutions, ANSI Z136.5-2000.  Therefore, Ocular Fundus examinations will not be administered unless requested by medical personnel when ocular function is found to be not normal during the baseline or terminal ocular examinations.  Revision/markup of the LIGO Laser Safety Program document to incorporate the educational institution ANSI guidelines is in work.

A team comprised of Caltech and LIGO safety personnel have nearly completed a laser inventory and safety inspection of LIGO campus facilities.
Only Wilson House and the 40M facility remain to be inspected at this time.  A report with recommendations and Action Items will be issued shortly.
 

LIGO Hanford Observatory (LHO) and Interferometer Operations (Raab)

Summary of Commissioning Activities at LIGO Hanford Observatory (compiled by F. Raab)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
(see ilog for details - if it's not in the ilog, it didn't happen...)
 

A lot of work was fixing old problems and continuing installation and check-out of WFS for H1. The most significant result was the convergence of Bill Kell's long and difficult effort to characterize optical losses in the two interferometers.
 

2K IFO (H2)
-----------
The optical loss investigation occupied most of the time on this interferometer. H2 has always been anomalous in its optical behavior. It has never gotten the very high recycling boosts in arm powers that we routinely achieve in L1 and H1. The problem with the arm loss measurements is that all information affects a ~2% change in light level reflected from arms and systematic effects can easily swamp this. Bill feels he now has confidence and repeatibility in making these measurements. His surprising conclusion is that the arm losses are well within spec, but there is a 6% round trip loss for light in the x leg of the Michelson in H2 (BS->FMX->ITMX and back). Effort to try to pin down the origin is ongoing. The numbers explain fairly closely the limited boost from recycled operation.

(GHS note:   Hurrah for Bill and his insight and persistence ! )
 

In other work, on-board 5V regulators have been retrofitted on all boards in both interferometers where the 5V supply is divided for setting gains. Previously drifts in the 5V supply had been generating indeterminate gain states, which should now be a thing of the past. A number of changes were made to the MC servo board to mitigate saturation and slew-rate issues. The dewhitening filters for PRC-related optics were reworked, resulting in more quiet operation of this loop.
 

4K IFO (H1)
-----------
The optical loss investigation shows that this interferometer is within spec and the recycling boost estimated from the measured optical values agrees quite closely with experience. ISCT1 was worked extensively to relieve potential clipping problems (better beam reduction and a careful realignment) and prepare for higher power operation. A script was generated that allowed automatically measuring the unity-gain frequency of the DARM loop at regular intervals to better understand how this drifts. Some drift is expected due to varying sideband power in the recycling cavity, but an additional 15% drift was unaccounted for in the overall (factor of 2-ish) drift overnight. Might be that drift of the sideband spatial overlap with carrier is implicated. Hardware for WFS 3 and 4 was installed and checked/tuned with AM laser.
 

LIGO Livingston Observatory (LLO) and Interferometer Operations (Coles)

Detector Commissioning: I have been learning how to use E2E/SimLIGO for WFS modeling. With the help from Hiro and Matt I was able to run the recent version of E2E/LIGO at LLO. The code is setup to run for LHO now. I am in the process of making changes for LLO. I have also set up the beam scanner to make beam parameter measurements on the reflected port, but have not been able to make measurements yet. This is a part of the WFS investigation. (Valera Frolov)

LDAS administration:
1) made and distributed for review and comments floor plan for the new
LDAS room;
2) restoring LHO's RDS;
3) together with Erik working on proposal to replicate and distribute
AS_Q only RDS in real time;
4) sent 2 M1 tapes to Caltech;
5) ordered Solaris 9 media.

LDAS data analysis
1) debugging waveburst DSO
(Igor)

CDS: Updating the very essential and much needed Red Book. Received the DVD Robot and the two disk arrays this week. These will be installed some time soon. Working with Rolf on getting the ASC processor code installation sorted out. Working with DTT to identify bugs and fixes. Disk backup for the DTT directory inplace. Installed new versions Tcl, Tk and expect. Cleaned out the master.config file and removed all bad channels identified by Orlando. Identified causes for three missing data segments in S1 data emailed by Peter Shawhan and Bruce Allen, to reboots of Frame builder and DAQ. Three more missing data segments - a mystery. (Chethan)

HEPI / LASTI The last two (of 10) welded actuators has shipped to MIT this morning. We also completed the mounts for the L4Cs and sent the set, along with mounting hardware yesterday. Marcel has completed submitting the as-built drawings for the actuator, as well and many incidental fixtures to the DCC. (Hammond, Kern)

ETF / Advanced LIGO pod bases: Harry and Harry disassembled the GS-13s and we shipped the cans off to a machine shop in Lafayette in order to have the 'bomb proof' coating machined off. This is after a wasted week's work trying to use paint removers and bead blasting. (Traylor, Overmeyer, Hammond, Kern)

GC: We are in the process of upgrading our Matlab and Mathematica licenses to the current versions. We have ordered a ledger-size InkJet printer so we can print B-size color drawings. We are getting close to moving into our new building, and Shannon has been working on the logistics of moving servers, clients, and associated hardware. (Evans)
 

Detector/Technical Support (Coyne)

40 Meter Interferometer (Weinstein)

• Core IFO: We continue to work towards constructing a short-arm Michelson with our three newly suspended optics (BS, ITMx, ITMy). The digital suspension controllers are nearly ready and we hope to have 3 suspended optics (BS, ITMx, ITMy) damped in the next week or 2. (Exactly what I said last week!).
• Suspended mass mode cleaner (Ugolini, Miyakawa, Vass, Abbott):
• Alex has completed most of the work on the digital suspension controllers (DSC), and all three suspended MC mirrors are now being damped with the new system. Osamu is working on re-aqcuiring MC lock as I write.
• Osamu quantitatively compared the laser frequency noise as measured in the PSL PMC and in the suspended mass mode cleaner. He finds excellent agreement (ie, the MC frequency noise is saturated by the frequency noise transmitted by the PMC) in the ~300 - 20K Hz region, except for a broad peak around 500 Hz and a narrow one around 12 kHz. The origins of these excess noise peaks are unknown and will be hunted down.
• Above 20kHz, shot noise in the PMC measurement dominates, and we will address this by increasing the laser power in the PMC. We had been attenuating the beam upstream of the PMC, and we will stop doing that, but not before Osamu completes new measurements with the MC.
• Still on the to-do list: permanent (3m long) MC servo LO cable; cable for 16K readout of MCR and MCT power signals.
• Core digital suspension controllers (DSC), and other Electronics (B. Abbott, Taylor):
• Alex Ivanov has nearly completed work on new software for the DSC system: upgrading the SOS controller software, new code for core optics controller hardware, DAQS and EPICS links, new EPICS screens, etc.
• Ben and Bob have finished all mods to the 40m vertex suspensions wiring: moving MC2 controls from 1Y5-7 to 1Y4-33 and SRM controls from 1Y4-8 to 1Y4-33, including all the associated EPICS controls wiring and database changes.
• Ben and Dennis have finished testing all the epics controls and readbacks for the 40m vertex suspensions controls.
• All hardware for the 40m vertex suspensions controls are in place except for one Pentium and 2 timing modules, which are under test at Wilson House.
• We now have all three suspended MC optics damped by the new system, and are close to being able to damp three more suspended optics (BS, ITMx, ITMy).
• Bob continues to work on the wiring of the south end (1Y9) rack, the east end (1X4) rack, and the auxiliary controls rack (1X1).
• Dennis put all of the STACIS readback info into master.config for logging to frames.
• PSL (O. Miyakawa, M. Smith):
• Osamu continues to study PSL PMC noise, as discussed above.
• A lens near the PMC was bumped yesterday, and Osamu is working on re-establishing good alignment of the beam downstream.
• Osamu finds that the PSL PMC frequency noise requirement (T990025-00-D, p28, fig18) is inconsistent with the overall PSL frequency noise requirement (T990025-00-D, p19, fig9, or T970080-09-D, pg 10, table 1). Fortunately, the PMC performs at least a factor 10 better than the design requirement (even on our noisy PSL table), allowing us to (just barely) meet the overall PSL spec.
• Steve purchased a compact laser power PD to make it easier to study the laser power everywhere on the crowded PSL table.
• Ben worked with Flavio on the ISS actuation at the 40m.
• Ben continues to test the DC PD for ISS to prepare it for delivery to the sites in time for S2.
• Optical sensing (Smith):
• OPTICS PARTS LIST, Received parts: 3 PZT tilt platforms and 1 servo control drive electronics and strain gauge read-out electronics from Piezosystems Jena.
• OPTICS PARTS LIST, Orders pending: 3 each, 1in mirror mounts are pending from Newport; input mode-matching telescope off-axis parabolic mirrors are pending from SORL; Faraday rotator from EOT; . The half-wave plates from KLC, for the Faraday isolator, are being re-worked to vacuum-compatibility standards. Only one set of servo controlled drive electronics to drive the x and y axes of the two PZT vacuum IFO steering mirrors was inadvertently ordered. A second set will be ordered.
• Part numbers were scribed and the in-vacuum mirrors and beam splitters are being cleaned and baked.
• FARADAY ISOLATOR: Faraday Isolator mechanical parts and polarizing prisms for Faraday isolator have been cleaned and baked, and are awaiting assembly. Hope to have it ready for installation by next month.
• IFO MODE-MATCHING TELESCOPE: Telescope mechanical parts are in process of being fabricated. Hope to have it ready for installation by next month.
• OPTICAL LEVER: Working drawings for magnified focus lens are almost complete. Hope to have an assembled prototype by next month.
• Mike assembled a list of electro-optical parts (LSCPD's, WFS's, QPD's, oplev QPD's, EOS's) needed to complete the core IFO sensing, and Mike and AJW have "placed the order" with the Wilson House, through Ben.
• Modeling of Advanced LIGO in E2E (Miyakawa): Osamu continues to come up to speed with E2E / Han2K / SimLIGO in his spare time, and is making progress.
• Facilities and vacuum envelope (Ugolini, Vass, Jones):
• Steve fitted a video camera with a telecope and can now easily see the wire, standoff, and magnet assemblises on the optics, *through* the OSEM hole. This will be very helpful during installation, debugging, and repairs of our suspended optics in the vacuum chambers.
• A STACIS seismic isolation pedestal was oscillating, so we sent it back to TMC for repair. They found nothing wrong with it, and returned it to us. Steve and Dennis have re-installed it, and it is still misbehaving. Sigh.
• Steve purchased some needed video monitors.
• South Annex Bake Ovens (Taylor, Cardenas):
• A load of mechanical parts for the 40m Faraday Isolator has been cleaned, baked, scanned, and packaged with traveller, ready for assembly.
• Bob has bake loads in 3 ovens: some 40m OSEM parts; stainless steel for Janeen, and a big Al load for Janeen.
• Several more bake loads are in the queue.

Bob wants to purchase a new RGA system (Dycor LC 200M) to replace one that is not repairable.

Thermal Noise Interferometer (Libbrecht)

no report

LASTI (Zucker)

no report

Data Analysis and Computing (Lazzarini)

SIMULATION AND MODELING (Biplab Bhawal)
 

E2E @ LLO
---------
(Hiro) Implemented the latest e2e stuff at LLO, and explained the
  basics of e2e to Valera Frolov
 
SimLIGO
-------
(Matt) Added the lock-acquisition code to SimLIGO. Also included
  pre-arranged measurement scripts for measuring the WFS sensing
  matrix and the lock-acquisition gain ratios.
 
Common mode servo & recycling summation cavity
----------------------------------------------
(Hiro) Worked on the formulation and implementation of an accurate
  summation cavity for scalar field for the implementation of the
  common mode servo.
 

Misalignment calculations
-------------------------
(Biplab, Hiro) Worked on the proper formulation and implementation
  of reflection matrix with tilt.
 

Alfi
----
(Bruce)
  - Alfi5 is now distributed as a separate package by one tarbal.
    This makes it possible to distribute Alfi5 more timely.
  - Worked on implementation of dynamic redefinition of E2E_Path
    by user (PR 359).  In the process, I fixed some event processing
    inconsistencies which may have later caused problems and would
    be (were!) difficult to track down.
 

(Melody)
  - Continued optimization work on the modeler.
 
 

LIGO DATA ANALYSIS SYSTEM
 

LDAS SOFTWARE SYSTEMS (Kent Blackburn)
 

Port to new GCC 3.2.1 Compiler (Kent Blackburn)
 

We continued our efforts to port LDAS to use the new GCC 3.2.1 compiler
this week. At present the Red Hat Linux 7.3 port is looking very good,
having successfully tested many DMT, dataPipeline and database functions.
In fact, there is about a 10 to 20% speed improvement without fully
optimizing the code.
 

The port to the Solaris operating system has been much more problematic.
We are able to compile the code now. However, the compiler itself will
coredump if full optimization is turned on for Solaris. In addition, we
have combined the long awaited upgrade to Solaris 9 with this port of
LDAS to the new GCC 3.2.1 compiler. There is a bad interaction with the
Solaris 9 distributed SSH and LDAS which we are close to solving. But we
have had only very limited success so far with running the full LDAS
system based on this new compiler with Solaris 9. We are, however, fully
committed to the port and expect to stabilize significantly by tomorrow.
 

One of the most exciting aspects of the new port to the GCC 3.2.1 is that
we have noticed a significant improvement in our memory leak problems that
we have been working on for years. It looks like 95% plus of the memory
leak in the dataConditionAPI has been removed by this migration and that
the frameAPI is leaking one fifth as much as with the old GCC 2.95.3 compiler.
We do not have any data on the reliability of threads yet. However, that
was a major theme in the advertising for this new GCC compiler.
 

We are still struggling with some issues with compiling LAL and LALwrapper
using this new compiler. We have also come across some issues with using
this compiler with the newest LAM MPI library which we are still sorting
out. I estimate that we have put in close to two man months on this port
with a few more man weeks of effort needed before it all settles down.
 

DataConditionAPI (Philip Charlton)
 

* convolution function using the same conventions as Matlab.
  Useful for (among other things) multiplication of polynomials.
 

* obtaining the coefficients of a polynomial from its (complex)
  roots. Will be used to convert a transfer function in ZPG representation
  to IIR filter coefficients.
 

* functions for "cloning" a real UDT to its complex equivalent.
 

* Ed found that the test code for windowing was using a tremendous amount
  of memory and being very slow. This was because of much
  allocating/deallocating memory to check exception behaviour on too-large
  input. I've modified the code to make it less thrashy.
 

* Met with Alan Weinstein for about an hour. He wants to use a
  frequency-domain transfer function to convert a burst waveform from strain
  to voltage for injection. The basic method is to Fourier transform the
  burst waveform and multiply it by the (suitably padded) transfer problem.
  For an arbitrary time-series and transform function, issues with the
  general problem are:
  - often the transfer functions are given as a function of log(frequency)
    rather than linearly
  - frequency spacing must be the same for the transfer function and
    Fourier transform of the time-series. Transfer function may need to be
    interpolated (our current interpolation is of a different sort
    than that required for general interpolation).
  - Transfer function may need to be extrapolated into regions where it is
    not given (probably setting to zero is fine)
 

Some of this can be done already in the datacon for specific cases,
although I think the general problem may not be doable. Would be more
convenient to wrap this up in action "molecule".
 

Database (Peter Shawhan)
 

Created new database tables submitted by Igor Yakushin to store output from
the new WaveBurst search code, plus tables to store generic information about
simulations.
 

Worked with John Z. to iron out some problems with the ingestion of DMT
info into the database at Hanford.  They are due to the software starting up
slowly, which seems to be caused by a long delay in connecting to the LDAS
web server at Caltech.
 

Corrected problems with documentation for setting up the IBM database on a
single box LDAS system.
 
 

LDAS HARDWARE SYSTEMS (Stuart Anderson)
 

CALTECH (Dan Kozak)
 

* Continuing to synchronize files on HPSS/SAM-QFS/IDE-RAID.  This has led
  to investigating a problem getting files from HPSS using hsi on ldas-archive.
 

* Qlogic HBA problem has been escalated, but still no results.
 

* Request for SAM-QFS 4.0 evaluation copy sent off to Sun.
 

* Called STK vis a vis upgrading 9940A to 9940B.  Haven't heard back.
 

* Working on Solaris 9 sendmail.cf configuration.
 

(Al Wilson)
 

* New release of BB out. Compiling for Solaris and Linux.
 

* Finished the last of the Linux desktops machines on the 6th floor Millikan.
 

* Setting up 2TB IDE-RAID box datacache9.
 

* Did some housekeeping in 215 Synchrotron. Installed the dust mat.
 

(Stuart Anderson)
 

* Upgraded LDAS-DEV Sun servers to Solaris 9.
 

* Helped Ed Maros rebuild the /ldcg software tools with the new
  gcc-3.2.1 compiler for both Solaris and Linux.
 

* Switched all 6th floor Millikan Linux machines to use the new
  gcc-3.2.1 built /ldcg for standard software tools.
 

* Upgraded desktop machine to RedHat 8.0 for early testing. LDAS will
  almost certainly not upgrade to 8.0 but will eventually upgrade to
  8.x or 9.
 

MIT (Keith Bayer)
 

* Continuing to spec hardware for pentium cluster machine.
 

* Put ldas Solaris machines on ScholarPak to facilitate upgrade to 9.
 

LIVINGSTON (Igor Yakushin)
 

* Made and distributed for review and comments floor plan for the new LDAS
  room;
 

* Restoring LHO's RDS;
 

* Together with Erik working on proposal to replicate and distribute
  AS_Q only RDS in real time;
 

* Sent 2 M1 tapes to Caltech;
 

* Ordered Solaris 9 media.
 

HANFORD (Greg Mendell)
 

* I've ordered a replacement disk for the ldas-jobs box and linuxbox1,
  plus a couple of spare 20 GB IDE hard drives (on the todo list for long
  time).  Also ordered IDE cables to try to fix node32, the one remaining
  beowulf node that is not working.
 

* Worked out a backup plan to write S2 data to tape using AIT-2 tapes;
  worked with LDAS on general issues of raw and RDS data management during S2.
 

* Performed the usual service tasks of assisting users of LDAS and
  keeping data available at LHO.
 
 

DATA ANALYSIS ACTIVITIES (Kent Blackburn)
 

CALTECH (Alan Weinstein)
 

- Wrote report on burst group efficiency simulations, with Laura.
 

- Working with Philip Charlton on making use of time-dependent
  calibration info in datacond.
 

- Collecting code and documentation for burst group CVS archive.
 

- Marvelled at high quality of all the LSC upper limits telecons.
 

(Peter Shawhan)
 

* Spent the weekend in Baton Rouge working with other members of the Inspiral
  Group to finalize the upper limit analysis for binary neutron stars in the
  S1 data.  Also helped prepare and give the presentation to the LSC.
 

* Working on addressing Stan's and Daniel's concerns about using auxiliary
  interferometer channels as vetoes.
 

HANFORD (Greg Mendell)
 

1) The main activity of the last week was to run driver scripts that ran
the knownpulsardemod DSO (off and on) between Dec 4 2002 and Dec 6 2002,
regenerating SFTs for PULG at LHO and LLO using LDAS 0.5.0.  Everything
went very well,  with almost no errors except due to missing data.  LDAS
ran great!  At LHO 1431 jobs were run; 20 jobs failed.  All the failure
were due to missing data on the disks.  No failures were due to LDAS!
The SFT jobs input 2048 s of data.  The mean time to run the jobs was 86
seconds, or 23.8x real time.  This is 33% improvement in performance
from LDAS 0.4.0!. At LHO 691 jobs were run; 20 jobs also failed.  Of the
failures, 14 were due to missing data on the disks, and 6 were due to
network problems.  The latter jobs were rerun and they suceeded on the
second try. The SFT jobs input 2048 s of data.  The mean time to run the
jobs was 107 seconds (which includes the time to transfer a small frame
file from LHO to LLO per job), or 19.1x real time. This is still a 15%
improvement in performance from LDAS 0.4.0!
 

2) Otherwise I am working PULG group as part of their effort to place
upper limits on known pulsars.  I have updated some preliminary results
I previously gave to this group, using the knownpulsardemod DSO under
LDAS 0.5.0 with the regenerated SFTs desribed above.
 

LIVINGSTON (Igor Yakushin)
 

* Debugged waveburst search code DSO.
 
 

GENERAL COMPUTING (Larry Wallace)
 

MIT:
(Keith)
-unmirrored NIS+ server due to failed hdd
 

-investigated port problem on NW22 switch affecting several Sun boxes
 

-moving old users onto secondary disk partitions
 

-investigating sw monitor idea for dhs
 

-received / installed backup hdd for laptop
 

Livingston:
(Tom)
- We are in the process of upgrading our Matlab and Mathematica
  licenses to the current versions.
- Ordered a ledger-size InkJet printer so we can print
  B-size color drawings.
- We are getting close to moving into our new building, and Shannon
  has been working on the logistics of moving servers, clients, and
  associated hardware.
 

(Larry)
- Shannon and Larry have started looking into other methods for getting
  more bandwidth to the Observatory. Presently, there don't appear to be
  any low cost solutions.
 

- Caltech has made several requests from different ISP's to locate someone
  that has a virus which is spamming forged mail. There appears to have been
  some success in that the amount of forged mail has diminished.
 

Hanford:
(Christine)
- Installed the replaced exabyte tape drive.  Restarted the daily
  backups to tape.
 

- Purchased and downloaded the latest Eudora e-mail software.  Made the
  software available at our standard PC apps site and wrote installation
  instructions.
 

- Set up two new PCs with our standard software and moved user files
  from old PCs to the new ones.
 

- Evaluating network monitoring software to replace our old Network
  Analyzer software.
 

- Most of this week spent as my alter ego doing CDS vacuum control
  software enhancements.
 

CIT:
(Mike)
- Going over security logs due to unknown users trying to log into servers.
  So far everything seems to be okay. The firewall software we loaded seems
  to be working pretty darn well; we are still getting a lot of attempts with
  unknown users trying to login, but for the most part this type of activity
  has really cut down.
 

- Finished up loading 2000 server that is hosting the Project Science website.
 

- Added the amaldi99 webpage back on to this server. This still needs some
  fine-tuning with .asp files.
- Loaded another 1U-Server running 2000 server to transfer the real media
  server to host all real media, which is currently running on NTSRV 4.0 and
  is having problems.
  I still have a lot of work ahead of me to finish up this server.
 

- DCC, I had to work on access database to trouble shoot a few issues we were
  having. I had to compact and repair database plus run the Time Target
  scripts manually.
 

- Looking over Pictor, this server to be upgraded to 2000 server. This is
  currently running on NTSRV 4.0 but is according to the logs this server is
  reporting a lot of OS errors that requires a lot of work. This server is
  still moving right along considering the state it is in.
 

- Loaded two laptops for the loaner pool that included reloading the OS and
  all General Computing software.
 

- Finished up loading two Dell computers for Sander Liu and Mohana. This
  included loading OS, General Computing software and transferring users data
  to new computer. I have swapped out Sander Liu, but I still have more work
  to do on Mohana's new computer and should have her swapped out later on
  today. I have brought back these users old systems to my office for
  upgrades and reloads.
 

(Lisa)
- Installed sendmail 8.12.6 on acrux.
 

- Generated a new root certificate for the certificate authority on becrux to
  resolve a problem from when I first set it up.  Re-issued server certs for
  becrux and acrux.  Tested the new certs with apache and starttls.
 

- Resolved the remaining problems with starttls pop/imap on becrux.  Am now
  working on documenting the client setups to use these services.
 

- Put in a work around on both acrux and becrux that enables eudora to properly
  use smtp starttls.
 

- Disabled the autolock service and upgraded the ram on lionking. This box is
  still having performance issues that are probably partially related to the
  network.
 

- Installed a new power supply in the wireless AP in the 40meter.  Currently
  trying to get the part RMA'd.
 

- Worked with Irena on how to maintain the lsc and ligo1 mailing lists.
 

(Veronica)
- LIGO website:
  LIGO has a number of analog videotapes, some of which (or all) may be
  posted online. These tapes (preferably all of them) need to be digitised
  for posting, as well as for archiving. Prepared a summary and cost
  estimate for Project Office on setting up an in-house system for
  digitising vs hiring an outside contractor. Working with Caltech Digital
  Media Center on this order.
  Added a new section to the 'News and Highlights' webpage that points to
  PAC, LSC Transparencies and to NSF Reviews pages.
  Posted updates to various parts of LIGO website (Aspen 2003 Winter
  Conference, Fellowships, LIGO Conferences). Updated the Publications
  database.
 

- Attended a seminar on adding multimedia to PowerPoint presentations.
  Learning SMIL.
 

- GNATS dabatase: administration and user support.
 

(Larry)
- Working on the purchase of the new GigE router. Finally, was able to get in
  contact with our CISCO rep. and received some preliminary quotes. The 7513
  unit appears to be the best bang for the buck. There are some cheaper models
  but they don't perform at wire speed. We should be placing the order next
  week once we get the logistics worked out with Campus. Also, working with
  Christine in getting the same unit for the Hanford Observatory.
 
- Worked a number of SUN issues. One of the SUN880 units shutdown for some
  unknown reason. I've replaced the UPS to that unit since the UPS it was
  connected to appears to have some problems. Presently, building a new
  SUNblade with a few new options. So far the unit looks to be pretty stable.
 

- Spent time monitoring the main network connection to Campus. There appears to
  be a conflict in the communication between the CISCO and the Foundry edge
  switch. At half duplex we get good performance but a lot of collision errors
  at full duplex we get poor performance but no more collision errors. I'm
  presently working with the Foundry rep. to try and figure a fix.
 
- Spent time working a number of DCC issues. Between the new items required of
  them and other document related issues it has been resolved that there will
  be a new server built to handle temporary secure web access to documents
  that are in transition. The logistics of this are still being worked on.
 
- Working on a number of documents. The LIGO Computer Usage policy is now out
  and we will soon be sending out a notice for everyone to read it.
  http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/docs/M/M020105-00/
 

- Worked a number of virus, spam and hack issues. We will have to put out more
  instructions to the users on how to deal with this. We have had people forward
  infected e-mail to a large group, informing them that it was infected, when it
  should only be sent to the local system administrator.
 

- Worked on a couple of mailing list problems. Still have a few more groups to
  work out.

LIGO II/Advanced R&D (Sanders)

From Benno Willke:

LSC LASERS WORKING GROUP
Minutes of telecon Dec 5 th 2002

LZH

- still problem with higher order modes in ring resonator (can not get M 2 <2 for 95W beam
- they think the thermal lens in the quarz rotator causes a problem (stability range of
oscillator showed dependence on position of quarz rotator) an plan to move rotator to a
position with less intensity
 

Stanford

- second edge pump slab broke ( Spectralon caught fire and when diodes were turned of
after a couple of seconds the slab was broken)
- due to this second accident all Spectralon parts will be replaced in the future by Al pieces
- damage on slab (crack close to the end) can be repaired in local crystal shop by cutting it
4mm shorter (one zig-zig less)
- inspection showed that the original slab was a quater of a zig-zag to short which might
explain the changing slope when increasing the pump power that was measured earlier
(aperture effect due to the not completed last zig-zag)
- end-pumped slabs were coated by MLD and are currently at a local vendor for final
dicing
- as soon as final slabs for end-pumping are back (15.12.02 expected delivery) the end-pumped
experiments can start (LaserLine pump diodes are ready and run ok at the 125W
level)
 

Florida

- waiting to get FK51 AR coated
- continuing experiments with index matching fluid
 

Adelaide

- new slabs arrived, have extremely high material and machining quality
- laser head is assembled, lasing experiments will start in a few days
- LZH fibres arrived, new waveguide to match the 800um fibres are on order
- 10W laser does not need to go to TAMA before middle of next year (so that this laser can
be used as front end for injection locking if NPRO as a front end does not give a big
enough locking range)
high power stage decision
- suggested times to do the measurements fit with the schedule of all groups

LZH: Feb. 24 - Feb. 28
Adelaide: Mar. 3 - Mar. 7
Stanford: Mar. 10 - Mar 14

next conference call: January 9 th (one week later than usual due to new
years break)

-----------------------------
ETF / Advanced LIGO pod bases
Traylor, Overmeyer, Hammond, Kern
Gary and Harry disassembled the GS-13s and we shipped the cans off to a
machine shop in Lafayette in order to have the 'bomb proof' coating
machined off.  This is after a wasted week's work trying to use paint
removers and bead blasting.
-----------------------------
 

From: "Mark Barton" <mbarton@ligo.caltech.edu>

    This week was mostly preparations for Doug Cook's visit and the
experiment for the testing of earthquake stops. I also did a calculation
for Phil on the expected response of the advanced LIGO mode-cleaner to
pitch and yaw actuation on the intermediate mass.
 

From: Jay Heefner <jay@ligo.caltech.edu>

Adv LIGO Suspensions
============================================
- Electronics modules for the CIT and LASTI prototypes are fabricated and some have been tested. We are making progress, but initial LIGO work has made oit slower than expected. We hope to complete the installation and wiring by 12/20.
 

--
From: Michael Smith <smith@ligo.caltech.edu>

40 METER IFO

OPTICS PARTS LIST
Received parts:
3 PZT tilt platforms and 1 servo control drive electronics and strain gauge read-out electronics from Piezosystems Jena.

Orders pending:
3 each, 1in mirror mounts are pending from Newport; input mode-matching telescope off-axis parabolic mirrors are pending from SORL; Faraday rotator from EOT; . The half-wave plates from KLC, for the Faraday isolator, are being re-worked to vacuum-compatibility standards.
Only one set of servo controlled drive electronics to drive the x and y axes of the two PZT vacuum IFO steering mirrors was inadvertently ordered. A second set will be ordered.

Part numbers were scribed and the in-vacuum mirrors and beam splitters are being cleaned and baked.

FARADAY ISOLATOR
Faraday Isolator mechanical parts and polarizing prisms for Faraday isolator have been cleaned and baked, and are awaiting assembly.

IFO MODE-MATCHING TELESCOPE
Telescope mechanical parts are in process of being fabricated.

OPTICAL LEVER
Working drawings for magnified focus lens are almost complete.

LIGO

ERRANT LASER BEAMS
An analysis of the ASAP results and a final report are still pending.
 

From: GariLynn Billingsley <Billingsley_G@ligo.caltech.edu>

I have visited ASML, formerly part of Tinsley.  They are capable of doing the "Mexican Hat" shaping.  They don't have much experience with sapphire, but believe there will be minimal problems.  Their figure metrology is comparable to the metrology at Caltech.  They also have the capability of measuring "micro-roughness."  They are interested in looking into homogeneity compensating polish as well, their specialty is aspheric optics for use in microlithography.

I plan to visit Kodak (Rochester in January... cool!) with Kathy Creath to assess their capability for polishing "Mexican Hat" surfaces as well.

Worth noting here for completeness:  JMM at Lyon has said that he could do the "Mexican Hat" surface today using corrective coating.

Gin Gin optics are back from polishing and are awaiting coating.

Chandra Khattak reports to Jim Hough (copied to GB) on edge polishing of the large sapphire piece for Glasgow:
"An interesting observation was that there are two poorly polished sections along the entire length of the cylinder.  These sections are on opposite sides, approximately 0.88" wide and about 49 degrees off the c-axis.  It appears to be a crystallographic  phenomenon which currently I do not understand.  I wanted you to be aware of this observation and have also informed GariLynn.   As I mentioned to John this area is not a "weakness" but like a "hard spot" in polishing. I do not see any difference except that in this area the transmission is not as good."

Note that this is the first occurrence of this phenomenon we have seen.  We have at least 16 sapphire optics where the OD has polished beautifully.
 

From: Peter King <pking@ligo.caltech.edu>

2.2 AdvLIGO PSL

    I have been going through the costings for the PSL, with an eye on the
laser costings and the cost of the intensity stabilization task.  A request
was put into Coherent Laser for an update of their previous quotation for
laser pump diodes, in order to gain an idea of how the price changes
over time.  This would be factored into the "basis of estimate" for the
laser costing.
 

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

Sapphire Q:
-----------
We tried a two-wire 'hammock' suspension for the sapphire to see if we could
measure high Q's using it.  We could not.  If we could, it would have simplified
the installation of the 40kg sapphires from what is needed for a single wire
loop.  So, we are now preparing a single wire loop suspension. (w/ Dan Busby)

Thermorefractive noise:
-----------------------
We have identified electrocaloric dissipation as the loss mechanism related to
thermorefractive noise by the fluctuation-dissipation theorem.  Simply put, the
free energy of a dielectric has a term proportional to the permittivity and to
the square of the applied electric field.  Because the permittivity depends on
temperature, changes in the applied field cause temperature changes in the
dielectric, and thus heat flow and dissipation.  Calculations of the
thermorefractive noise based upon this loss mechanism are in agreement with
those of Braginsky et al. (w/ Sergey Vyatchanin and Misha Gorodetsky)
 

From: ctorrie <ctorrie@ligo.caltech.edu>
Advanced LIGO Suspensions

Mode Cleaner

Janeen and I have spent some time going over the various aspects of the suspensions with Doug Cook, who is visiting from Hanford.
Janeen, Doug and I have switched out the initial catcher and have installed the earthquake stops for the aluminium intermediate and test mass.

SolidWorks

ADVANCED LIGO Bill of Materials for an Assembly drawing.
The Excel BOM works for the following conditions: -
·       All parts must be saved as DCC#_Name. e.g. D020445_BladeClamp
·       The same BOM can be used to supply individual Bill of Materials and an overall Bill of Materials and an automatic Drawing Tree. (It is necessary to change the properties of the BOM for each different case!)
·       Bolts and Washers will be referenced from the Customised Toolbox library, see below.
·       Alternate and Referenced parts must be pre-defined using File/properties/custom.

CUSTOMISED TOOLBOX LIBRARY
The following parts have been created, allowing easier sharing of assemblies between external collaborators.
SST_Socketheadcapscrew.SLDPRT
Ag-SST_Socketheadcapscrew.SLDPRT
NAS 620 FLAT WASHERS.SLDPRT
SST_HexNut.SLDPRT
SST_setscrew.SLDPRT
Interlocking_Test_Weights.SLDPRT

These are available at the following location: -
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~ctorrie/documents+downloads/documents.html

Visit to Glasgow
I am visiting IGR at the University of Glasgow from the 13th until the 23rd of December, I leave tomorrow. I will be back in my office at Caltech on the 3rd of January. I will be available on email contact at my usual address.
 

From: Janeen Romie <romie_j@ligo.caltech.edu>

LIGO 1
Doug Cook from LHO is here this week to support earthquake stop testing. We have a number of prototypes to test. The SOS is assembled and in the OTF. The vacuum chamber is pumping. Paul Russell is making cables for the feedthrus. Doug has brought along with him an hand-held electrometer. However, it is not meant for in-vacuum use. He's talking to the vendor now to find out if leads can me made for it or if another unit needs to be used.
GinGin
Working on the magnet standoff assembly. With the repreive in schedule, the ITM drawings do not need to get to the machine shop until Jan 2nd, however, I'll try to get them to CES by the end of this week to allow for holiday vacations.

AdLIGO Suspensions
Calum reviewed the mode cleaner triple suspensions with Doug, who is providing input for the installation fixtures for these suspensions. He is working with Calum and I this week assembling the earthquake stop components.

Doug is getting pushers from the Hanford site for us to test pushing the mode cleaner suspensions around the optical table. It is our assumption at this point that a number of LIGO 1 HAM installation fixtures will be usable for the LASTI. We will be designing some interface fixtures.

We're still waiting for the two sets of digital electronics from our electronics group. With Paul Russell out, Jay is getting someone else to make cables and electronics boxes for the mode cleaners. GEO has already delivered one set of analog electronics. Caroline Cantley reported that they've had a delay in their electronics deliveries as one of their vendors has gone into foreclosure. She'll forward our proposed delivery of mid-January for the second set of mode cleaner analog electronics to David Robertson. He'll report back on the chances of meeting this after he talks with his vendors and technicians.

On a Purchasing note, Gina Salone has been quite helpful these last few months negotiating with vendors. She has requested (and received) competitive pricing and lead times. She's also been quite helpful interfacing with tardy vendors to expedite quotes and, especially, deliveries. She has provided valuable advice on all aspects of the purchasing process.
 
 
From: Riccardo DeSalvo <desalvo@ligo.caltech.edu>

Akiteru
Finished all immediately necessary measurements and concentrating in writing his thesis.

Alessandro
First test run of the numeric control Ultra-Sound milling machine to make flex joints and mirror support points.
Works nicely, a first report is available at
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~desalvo/Ale.REPORT.DOC

Brian
Finished his SURF report (for long time delayed by Riccardo), available at
http://www.ligo.caltech.edu/~desalvo/B_Emmerson_SURF_report.doc
It is a good report, we will probably extract a paper from the core of the report, adding a few more details.

Stoyan
Baked (700, 835, 1000oC) MoRuB samples off center in the oven to avoid secondary transients, provided the samples to Jan for measurement.
Ansys, comparative resonance analysis of glassy metal and fused silica wires.
Studying the effective bending length of the MoRuB flex joints.
Writing final report.

Hareem
Working hard on exams.

Allyson
Working on improvements of Vickers measurement systematics.

Xavier
Finishing measurement of heath radiative losses of thermometer shoes in the cryostat to complete the thermal conductance measurement.
Preparing to load the second thermal capacitance measurement and broken calorimeter wires, need replacement.
Writing final report.

Charles, Stoyan
Working on automated vacuum controls for the sputtering machine.
 

Charles
Stress-Strain machine, learning the controls with pulsed motor excitation to reduce the strain speed below 1 micron/sec, now at 2 microns/sec. Optimizing the control loop.
First tests on samples:
Test one: standard stress strain loop, the braze broke (was a bad looking one made by simple dipping) and the Youngs module was all wrong. Look for the wrong calibration factor.
Test two: test on a 3 mm wide sample with a 1 mm crack, cycled at increasing stress levels and observed progressive advance of the crack with rotation of the two jaws. Nice to look at.

Preparing for expedition at Malibu for Ni sputtering and AuSn evaporation.
 
 

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