Weekly Report for Week Ending March 29, 2007

LSC

Administration

Hanford Observatory

Livingston Observatory

Optical & Mechanical

Controls and Data Systems

40 Meter Facility

TNI

LASTI

CIT Science Group

Laboratory Computing

Adv. LIGO Development

Past Weekly Reports

The LIGO Executive Committee Agenda for Monday, April 2, 2007 will be:

(Meeting time: 10:30 am Pacific Time)

1. Announcements

2. Programmatic (Marx) - TBA

3. Comments on Weekly Report

4. LSC and Data Analysis (Reitze)

5. LIGO Lab Operations

6. Enhancements (Zucker)

7. Advanced LIGO (Shoemaker)

8. Change Control Board/Technical Review Board Session as needed

Site and other business issues:

Special Items:

 

Special Announcements: LIGO & Virgo have agreed to begin data sharing 18 May 2007.

Weekly Report Highlights

LSC Issues (Reitze)

The LSC and Virgo held our first joint collaboration meeting in Baton Rouge, LA last week.  After serious deliberations, the LSC Council voted to begin data sharing with the Virgo Collaboration beginning on May 18, 2007.  Preparations are under way by the Data Analysis Committee and the Joint Run Planning Committee to exchanging data and joint running.

One paper, the S4 LLO-ALLEGRO stochastic paper "First Cross-Correlation Analysis of Interferometric and Resonant-Bar Gravitational-Wave Data for Stochastic Backgrounds" was submitted to Phys Rev. D. this week.

Three new groups (Eotvos University, Montana State University, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst) have joined the LSC.

LIGO Laboratory Administration (Lindquist)

STATUS OF LSC MOUs (Lloyd)

The following MOUs were completed, posted and submitted to DCC this reporting period:

MOU

Attachments

Goddard

DAT, OPS, Z

Penn State

DAT, OPS, OUT, Z

Rochester

DAT, Z

IAP submitted their revised MOU and it is now being routed for signatures.

PROPERTY MANAGEMENT (Luna)

>From: Rod Luna <rluna@ligo.caltech.edu>

DOCUMENT CONTROL CENTER (Turner, Mak)

Update to Current Document Management System (Lindquist)

There was no meeting of the DCC Upgrade committee Friday, March 23 due to travel for the LSC-VIRGO meeting and other considerations.  However, a trial version of DocuShare with licenses for 50 users was set up for the LSC-VIRGO meeting and used for public posting of documents.  Some favorable comments have been received.  A debrief is planned for Friday, March 30.

SAFETY COMMITTEE

Worked with Dave Beckett on an initial edit and rewrite of the Safety Program since it is outdated.  This edit was returned to Bill Tyler to distribute to the committee members as they begin the actual review of the content of the document.

>From: Cleveland Mak <mak_c@ligo.caltech.edu>

FINANCIAL SYSTEMS (Funaro, Brambila, Kaufman)

>From: "Funaro, Catherine" <Catherine.Funaro@caltech.edu>

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

>From: Florence Kaufman <fkaufman>

SUBCONTRACTS MANAGEMENT (Jasnow, Salone)

>From: Gina Salone <gsalone@ligo.caltech.edu>

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

PROPOSALS and REPORTS (Lindquist)

I have set up and will be maintaining a web site containing information and useful pointers for the preparation of the proposal for continuing operations (FY 2007 - FY 2013).  The web site currently includes the proposal outline and writing assignments for the proposal as well as a schedule and pointers to documentation in NSF FastLane Grants Proposal Guide.  We will continue to add material as it becomes available.

A user ID and Password are required.

CHANGE CONTROL/CONTINGENCY MANAGEMENT (Lindquist)

HUMAN RESOURCES (Akutagawa)

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

Quality/Safety (Tyler)

>From: Bill Tyler tyler@ligo.caltech.edu

Nothing significant to report this week.

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

Summary of S5 Activities at LIGO Hanford Observatory (compiled by K. Kawabe)

The duty cycle (Thu Mar/22 to Wed Mar/28 2007) of H1 and H2 were 88.3 and 85.0 percent, with about 15+ and 6-7 Mpc binary range, respectively.

Summaries: Range and Duty Cycle update. Tuesday maintenance summary.

Commissioning etc.: Nothing to report.

Outreach: LIGO was one of several southeastern WA institutions to collaborate on a December 06 proposal to OSPI for a three-year Math Science Partnership program (MSP). Other partners are ESD 123, WSU Tri-Cities, Columbia Basin College, Pasco School District and Othello School District. We have learned that the proposal has been funded ($198K for the first year). Program activities will commence this spring and summer. MSP funds come from the Federal Dept. of Ed. and are connected to No Child Left Behind.

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

S5 run summary (Brian O'Reilly):

LLO Outreach (John Thacker):

(from 3/23)

(current week)

LIGO computing and network security (Roddy)
-------------------------------------------------------------------- Reported under General Computing, see below.
General computing and LDAS admin (Giardina)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
 Reported under General Computing, see belowReported under LDAS System Administration, see below Data analysis & computing (Yakushin)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
Storage/Condor/LDAS admin:
 Reported under LDAS System Administration, see below Data analysis:
 Reported under Data Analysis activities, see below

Mechanical and Optical Systems (Coyne)

See Advanced LIGO

Controls and Data Systems (Bork)

See Advanced LIGO

40-Meter Interferometer (Weinstein)

Thermal Noise Interferometer (Black)

This week Ilaria and Akira set up the reference cavity and locked the laser to it. They then measured the laser's PZT response and compared it with the value we had been using. Their number came in about 4% higher than what we had been using, but it was within the error bars of the first measurement, which were around 10%. The new error bars are smaller than the old ones. We are working out how much this affects our calibration, but as of now it does not look like the effect is significant.

LASTI (Ottaway)

No report available

CIT Science Group (Weinstein)

Patrick Sutton:

Coherent Network Analysis:

Other:

___________________

Kent Blackburn:OPEN SCIENCE GRID VALIDATION TESTBED

OPEN SCIENCE GRID INTEGRATION TESTBED

OSG MANAGEMENT

___________________

Igor Yakushin:

___________________

Gregory Mendell:

Laboratory Computing (Anderson)

LDAS Software (Maros)

LDAS System Administration (Anderson)

Caltech

(Dan Kozak)

(Phil Ehrens)

(Erik Espinoza)

MIT

(Fred Donovan)

Livingston

(Igor Yakushin)

(Dwayne Giardina)

Hanford

(Greg Mendell)

(Ben Johnson)

General Computing (Wallace)

MIT:

(Fred)

Livingston:

(Dwayne)

Hanford:

(No report this week)

CIT:

(Bruce Sears)

(Mike)

(Larry)

(Veronica)

Advanced LIGO and Supporting R&D (Shoemaker)

Advanced LIGO Systems

Modeling and Simulation

From: Hiroaki Yamamoto hiro@ligo.caltech.edu

AdvLIGO LSC/ASC design using FP arm model with quad suspension (Osamu)

We compared the maximum lockable test mass speed for using raw error signal and for using normalized error signal which is used in iLIGO. We noticed that the normalized signal has no advantage for the lock acquisition time because ringing happens in long and high finesse cavity, and it flips the sign for both raw and normalized signal. We proposed the guidelock algorithm which continuously predicts mirror speed and mirror position and applies maximum force to reduce mirror speed until locking servo can catch lock. Optimizing the guidelock gain which connects the demodulated signal to the mirror position can maximize the lockable mirror speed up to 280nm/sec. This speed is about 11 times faster than the maximum mirror speed using raw/normalized error signal. This guidelock may operate full interferometer all the night and sometimes in the daytime. If we use both the guidelock and SPI we may operate AdLIGO all the time.

Static IFO simulation (Hiro)

Modeler - e2e simulation engine (Hiro, Bruce, Melody)

Mechanical Simulation for advanced LIGO (Sany and SLU team)

Continued e2e modeling of AdvLIGO Input Mode Cleaner (IMC). With realistic seismic motion input (translational motion in the X-arm direction only) to the base of HAM-SAS model and the triple suspension model (based on M. Barton’s mathematica model) placed on the HAM table, the IMC locks very stably. The frequency dependence of the computed IMC length fluctuation is similar to the requirement (P. Fritschel, LIGO Note T060075) in the frequency range of 0.1 – 10 Hz (5e-13 m/rtHz at 0.1 Hz and 5e-17 m/rtHz at 10 Hz), except for an order of magnitude higher peak at 1 Hz, and a factor of two higher peaks at 2.8 Hz, 3.8 Hz, and 5 Hz. All these peaks appear in the spectrum of the triple pendulum’s position motion, indicating that the local damping needs to be improved. Currently the triple pendulum model assumes the position Q-value to be infinite.  

ALFI : e2e front end (Melody)

Seismic Isolation

From: Ken Mason kmason@ligo.mit.edu

BSC Seismic System Assy & Test

Ham Single Stage System Design

From: Ben Abbott abbott_b@ligo.caltech.edu

All new activity since last weekly is written in red.

40m:
DCPD

HAM-SAS:
Custom Electronics chassis: (# needed + #spares)

Commercial Electronics:

Miscellaneous:

ISI:

Suspensions

From: Norna Robertson <nroberts@ligo.caltech.edu>

  • Used MATLAB model of quad suspension to consider the effects of varying the "d" values ( vertical offsets of attachment of wires from plane through centre of mass) to aid in discussion of choice of these values with respect to ease of assembly of stable suspension.
  • Updated Adv LIGO SUS schedule with Janeen and Jay.
  • Progressed discussion on timing and structure of Enhanced LIGO review
  • Call for nominations for OWG election sent out

From: Janeen Romie <janeen@ligo-la.caltech.edu>

Enhanced/Advanced LIGO

  • Overseeing fabrication of OMC parts. Communicating with Calum, Chris & Norna daily.
  • Coordinating delivery to Caltech of procured and fabricated parts.
  • Answered questions from Mike and Ric on OMC and ring heater shield drawings.
  • Mike Gerfen said that "it would be tight" to get April 9th delivery of OMC structure.
  • Provided a list of initial LIGO osems needed for prototypes and all production suspensions to Norna and Justin.
  • Talked to Joe LaCour on the new earthquake stop design.
  • Worked with Norna, Helena and Jay on suspensions schedule update for Dwight, submitted yesterday.
  • Provided a PowerPoint presentation on Advanced LIGO suspensions to Outreach.
  • Attended the LSC last week.

From: k mailand kmailand@ligo.caltech.edu

Adv. LIGO

  • The CES shop has completed work on the LASTI tooling assembly parts, the parts are in final assembly.
  • The vertical lift elevator was tested with a 1,200# load. The last parts sent out for plating should be finished 3-29.
  • All of the fit and function tests done so far on the sub assemblies have been acceptable.
  • We are waiting for Ian's outer support frame for the lower SUS, we will use this frame to drill match pin locations, in both the frame, and tooling interface.

From: "Greenhalgh, RJS \(Justin\)" J.Greenhalgh@rl.ac.uk

ALUK held its latest Project Management Committee on 16th March 2007 (See LIGO-M070041-00-K).

A brief activity summary follows:

  • RAL: The dirty noise prototype has been assembled and work is in hand to balance the suspension. The only part still awaited is the sleeve for the structure – but the rest of the suspension can be assembled without it. Parts for the second suspension are being cleaned ready for shipment to LASTI – target date now late April, with the critical path item being the welded structure and sleeve. Trial beam splitter structures on order for frequency tests. Most parts for laser welding duplicate machine (for LASTI) have now arrived or are expected shortly.
  • Glasgow: Two sample ribbons had been pulled under computer control on the pulling jig, with good profiles. The first one had failed a load test, thought to be due to surface flaws in the silica slide feedstock. For the second ribbon, the feedstock had been flame polished and the ribbon had passed a 20kg load test (double the service load). The welding rig was close to completion. The ERM was expected around the end of March, with a "best guess" for the PM being late May.
  • Birmingham/Strathclyde: Parts for 35 OSEMs now being prepared for assembly. IRLED burn-in rig complete and being used. Satellite box (to amplify the OSEM signals) prototyped. Coil driver design has been the subject of extensive discussions but design now close to agreement – need to avoid further delays; hoping to get parts to LASTI in early July. ESD circuits tested satisfactorily.
  • Overall: We are still working hard to get the noise prototype to LASTI as soon as possible. A slip of ~six to eight weeks in delivery of the mechanical parts to LASTI, and of ~three months to the monolithic stage assembly, compared to plans of October 2006, seems likely. Current plans/expectations/ambitions are to get mechanical parts to LASTI in mid-late April, to deliver the ERM at the end of March and the PM at the end of May. Close discussion of plans is being maintained with the LIGO/LASTI groups. The PPARC Oversight Committee (OsC) met in March and the outcome was positive overall.

From: Chris Echols <cechols@ligo.caltech.edu>

  • Output Mode Cleaner: All parts related to the intermediate mass are being manufactured at the CES shop at Caltech; the coil-holder and brackets are being manufactured by the aero shop at Caltech, and parts for the wire jigs and blades are being manufactured by the physics shop at Caltech.  Scheduled deliver for all these parts is 6 April.
  • AdLIGO Layout: the endstation vacuum system layout is in progress.

Core Optics

From: Bill Kells kells@ligo.caltech.edu

This week has seen intense effort to appreciate all our to date TM scatter/loss analysis and data. Reason? In preparation for (and occurring as we speak) our meeting with scatter expert and now consultant J. Stover. We have learned a bunch of interesting and informing detail from him, though not profound, view altering, insights. Our measurement program is significantly guided.

Just previous to this (last week, in prep for the lSC) I have prepared a summary of all our observations concerning TM loss. It can be fond at LIGO T070051-00

From: Helena Armandula ahelena@ligo.caltech.edu

The LASTI test mass is on its way to France and expected to arrive this Friday.

As suggested by LMA, we decided to pre-anneal the substrate at 900 degrees C, a standard process used for VIRGO optics. This process last about 9 days and it is done to suppress the residual stress in the substrate incurred during polishing. Then they will then check the quality of the substrate (roughness, defects, wavefront).

The time table for the coating is as follows: Side 1 will take ~ week, including calibration and coating runs. For the AR side, 3-4 days are needed.

At this time, they have not decided yet if they will anneal the optic after the HR coating and also after the AR coating (that means 2 annealing procedures, so, about 1 week time) or, if they'll do only 1 annealing procedure. Complete characterization of the optic (scattering, absorption maps and wavefront measurements will require ~ 1 week) So, if they start at the beginning of April, the mirror can be ready by the end of April.

From: Liyuan Zhang <zhang_l@ligo.caltech.edu>

Two LMA 2" mirrors (T=0.3% and 5% respectively) for Riccardo's experiment have been scanned using the integrating sphere, they both have an averaged scatter of about 5.3 ppm, with a 'microroughness' band around 3-4 ppm and some point scatters of up to hundreds ppm. While the band position is close to that of the REO 1" mirror, the density of point scatters is a bit less, which is consistent with Helena's observation under microscope.

Auxiliary Optics

From: Phil Willems willems@ligo.caltech.edu

Enhanced LIGO TCS

We have gotten our AOM back from IntraAction and are realigning our CO2 laser table at Caltech around it.  We're still not getting as much diffraction efficiency as we expect yet but at least the diffracted spot goes in the right direction.  We have also measured the voltage noise spectrum of our two new HgCdTe photodetectors and are preparing to measure their saturation curves.  We will also look for nonuniformity of sensitivity across their faces due to the transverse structure Mike Zucker alerted us to.  We have requested a quote from II-VI Corp. for axicons to efficiently convert the CO2 beam to an annular profile.

(Tobin Fricke, Phil Willems)

Test Mass Absorption Measurements

It was hard to tell from the crappy slides Mathematica displayed during my presentation at the LSC meeting, but the absorption of all twelve test masses has been measured using the frequency shift technique, and the results generally fall at about 4-5 ppm for all the mirrors.

(Sam Waldman, Phil Willems)

Photon Calibration

I began modelling initial LIGO mirrors for their elastic response to photon calibrator pressure and to OSEM forces.  In particular, the bowing of the LIGO ETM from the magnetic force applied near the optic's edge causes an apparent surface motion that will introduce displacement error at the ~10% level at 2 kHz.  I compared results for GEO600 with Stefan Hild while he was visiting Caltech.

For additional information about this report, contact Albert Lazzarini or Phil Lindquist