LSC
Issues (Reitze)
- Nothing significant to report.
LIGO Laboratory Administration (Lindquist)
STATUS OF LSC MOUs (Lloyd)
- The 2007 MOU Review was completed last week.
PROPERTY ACCOUNTING (Luna)
- No report (Rod is out this week).
DOCUMENT CONTROL CENTER (Turner, Mak)
From: Cleveland Mak <mak_c@ligo.caltech.edu>
- Document submittals have finally let up, well at least for
now.....Just trying to get everything that's come in over the last few
weeks into the DCC database.
FINANCIAL SYSTEMS (Funaro, Brambila, Oracion)
From: "Brambila, Ruth" <Ruth.Brambila@caltech.edu>
- Submitted the mod. to Yamilet and requested the change of address.
- Working on the new order for Lisa Bogue.
- Working on the new order for Northrop.
From: Karl Oracion <koracion@ligo.caltech.edu>
- Started expenditure analysis, budget review and data entry for April 2008 monthly operations report.
- Requested a revision of task names on certain Advanced LIGO accounts.
- Continued testing various Discoverer worksheets customized by IMSS to retrieve LIGO Operations financial data.
- Currently in the process of reconciling MIT April 2008 invoice to MIT "Twonk" reports.
- Financial reports can be found at: http://docuserv.ligo.caltech.edu/~fireport. (For passwords contact Karl).
SUBCONTRACTS MANAGEMENT (Jasnow, Salone)
From: Gina Salone <gsalone@ligo.caltech.edu>
- Advanced LIGO Update:
- MIT Requisition was submitted and is going through the signature cycle.
- Ares Corporation Requisition is ready for submittal pending NSF award.
- University of Florida is held for receipt of an Advanced LIGO proposal. UOF will also need NSF approval.
From: Ed Jasnow <jasnow@ligo.caltech.edu>
- Bids have been received in response to the RFQ for COC blanks. The bid evaluation team have started reviewing the bids.
PROPOSALS and REPORTS (Lindquist)
- Working on an integrated staffing plan for FY 2009 FY 2013.
CHANGE REQUESTS (Lindquist)
- Change Request CR080002 has been signed and distributed.
- Change Request CR080003 - Hanford Diode Room Pre Award Costs Budget Adjustments was not approved.
- Change Request CR080004 - Livingston Diode Room Pre Award Costs Budget Adjustments was held pending additional information.
- Change Request CR080005 - ARES Project Controls Software Operations Budget adjustments was held pending final invoices.
HUMAN RESOURCES (Akutagawa)
From: Cindy Akutagawa <cindy@ligo.caltech.edu>
Quality/Safety (Tyler)
From: Bill Tyler tyler@ligo.caltech.edu
- Continued support to various AdL review committees.
- Participating in Advanced LIGO Safety and QA job applicant interviews.
LIGO
Hanford
Observatory (LHO) and Interferometer Operations (Raab)
Summary of activities at LIGO Hanford Observatory (compiled by M. Landry)
- We had confirmed that centering on the ETMX optical lever was a
good alignment fiducial by peeking down the arm with IR and hitting the
ITM cage. To do this, we had to have 1.2k resistors in the bias module.
We then vented, rePAMed, waited, and saw the optic drifted minimally,
~12urad after the procedure. After the pumpdown, the alignment looks excellent,
the pumpdown shift landing the beam centered on the optical lever.
Apart for HAM6, this completes our last vacuum incursion for some time;
until the fall in which followup work (e.g. baffles and RF/DC bs swap)
is performed.
- Edge-edge contacts between retrofitted-earthquake stops and the chamfer continue to delve tiny (~0.1mm deep) chips
from core optics. We opted not to drag wipe ETMX, given concerns about
the possibility of dragging glass dust on the optic face (the small
plume seems largely constrained to within 1-2 cm of the chip region,
but it was safest to hold off). More on ETMX here.
- The H2 ASC sensing matrix was measured at various power levels, part of the effort to understand and improve the stability of H2 with higher power.
- An assessment of higher power into the 4k is underway. Suggestions on how the mode cleaner can handle extra radiation pressure were detailed.
H1 Squeezer Experiment (D. Sigg)
- The work on a detailed plan for the H1 squeezer experiment has
been started. A first meeting was held on 4/1 to discuss needs and
resources. A review committee was formed which will be chaired by F.
Raab. A review kick-off meeting was held on 4/23 to define scope and
organization. The project review is tentatively scheduled to be in
August.
- A second meeting was held on 5/7. We started discussing some of
the technical questions which have to be settled for the proposal. A
punch list was compiled. The idea is to let experts work on individual
aspects and discuss conclusions on the next meeting.
- A wiki page has been set up to track the progress of the H1 squeezer proposal. It can be reached at http://baikal.mit.edu/sqwiki/H1Squeezer. We have also established a new mailing list which is open to interested parties. It is located at http://mm.ligo.caltech.edu/mailman/listinfo/squeezer.
HAM SEI/ISI (Brian O., Jeff, Robert, Jodi, Cyrus, Ski, Hugh, Corey)
- ISI Work - Sensors: Table floated & rebalanced (10lb
puck removed) due to new weight of Sensor Targets on Stage1. Vertical
Sensor gaps measured more precisely. Horizontal Sensors were hard to
set due to Outer Wall interference. Eventually, removed the Outer Walls
(replaced stripped bolts!), set gaps, and then installed Outer Walls.
- Actuators: Made a hardware change of switching the "signs"
for the vertical actuators (such that a positive offset in Z, moves the
system UP. Beginning prep work for ISI installation into HAM6 next week
(cleanroom moved, huge Installation fixturing assembling, etc.).
- SEI External Work: V-Block connection made & Air Bearings installed. External SEI is ready for ISI--(way to go Hugh & Cyrus!)
- ISI Electronics / Commissioning: Jeff's been working away
(with Richard, Robert, & Justin) on various tests &
measurements, including Actuator ranges, vertical Spring constants,
Sensor Calibration, etc.
LIGO
Livingston Observatory (LLO) and Interferometer
Operations (Giaime)
Enhanced LIGO Work (Valera Frolov):
- The HAM6 chamber was pumped down to the pressure 4e-6 torr.
This enabled testing the OMC noise at the new low level. With a single
ITM bounce beam the OMC output noise is dominated by the laser
intensity noise. The input beam jitter noise is being evaluated. The
incoherent component of the noise from the two OMC PDs was estimated to
be consistent with 2 mA total photocurrent of the two detectors.
- The interferometer locking resumed after the vent to move the
MMT2. The lowest interferometer visibility is 12-13%, which is an
improvement from 21-22% with the old MMT2 position. The wave front
sensing loops have been engaged with low bandwidth except for dark port
WFS1 which has close to nominal bandwidth. The WFS sensing matrix was
measured. The data is being analyzed to generate the new control
matrix. The interferometer was transitioned to the low noise mode with
1 W input power including the suspension controllers for large optics,
that have been problematic lately possibly due to saturations. The
broadband DARM noise is higher than the S5 noise by a factor of ~100.
The investigation of the excess noise includes backscattering in and
out of vacuum, electronics noise in sensing and actuation chains. The
old TCS central heating patterns were cal ibrated and aligned. The
central heating is applied to make the recycling cavity more stable.
LLO Outreach (John Thacker):
- Developed "snack" materials for teacher workshops.
- Conducted 3 school field trips.
- Preparations & scheduling for summer teacher workshops.
- Scheduled public tours for Friday.
- Uploaded student field trip pictures to share folder for website use.
- Purchased supplies for field trip visits.
- Prepared training material for docent training Conducted docent training 4-23-08.
- Managed SEC documents: Archived folder from (shared) Active File.
- Continued work on Next Phase white paper.
- Prepared monthly (large facilities, outreach) report.
LIGO computing and network security
(Roddy)
Reported under General
Computing, see below
General computing and LDAS admin
(Giardina)
Reported under General
Computing, see below
Reported 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)
- Auxiliary laser locking: Steve is ordering 50 m of
polarization-maintaining fiber, and Aidan has designed a system for
measuring the phase noise of 1064-nm light down it and stabilizing it
using an AOM, in preparation for using it to bring light from the PSL
to an ETM for arm locking.
- Noise cancelling: Steve and Rana are purchasing a Guralp seismometer to sense seismic motion for adaptive noise cancelling.
- Frequency noise: Rana is tracking down a hump in the MC frequency
noise spectrum. He suspects that it's due to some anomalous scattering
on the PSL table, but it's not obvious where.
- Rana suspects that the relatively high power density on the ITMs
could be producing thermal lensing; calculations in progress.
- Locking: Rob continues to work on DRFPMI lock acquisition, and has been switching some RF photodetectors around.
- Camera readout: Joe and Andrey are testing the readout of a GC750 GigeCam with some picked-off PSL light.
Thermal Noise Interferometer (Black)
- Nothing significant to report this week. Tara and Eric have
been working on optical levers, and Eric has been preparing for SURF.
Greg is doing noise-level calculations, and Akira is working on his
polarization project.
LASTI (Mittleman)
CIT Science Group (Weinstein)
______________________
Gregory Mendell:
______________________
Igor Yakushin:
- Still working to fix a few remaining issues in LIGO-GEO S4 paper.
- Still working on applying the final DQ and veto cuts to the Coherent WaveBurst triggers on the first year of S5.
______________________
Antony Searle:
- Finished implementation and began testing of fast
importance-sampled integrator for Bayesian all-sky all-time
sine-Gaussian search in Omega Pipeline.
______________________
Diego Fazi:
- Tested and committed to LAL a first version of the PTF metric code.
- Carried on investigations on kludge distances in the PTF intrinsic parameter space.
- Submitted a PTF injection run lowering the SNR threshold to 6.4.
- Started tuning mass cuts for the first coincidence stage for PTF.
- Started estimating the background trigger rate for PTF with SNR threshold 9.
______________________
Kipp Cannon:
- Repaired problems in libmetaio preventing correct builds on
Solaris, Linux, Mac, and have begun working with Jolien and Duncan
to untangle a knot of incompatibility between glue.ligolw and
LAL+metaio's handling of some special characters in tables that is
currently preventing LAL+metaio from reading some
glue.ligolw-generated files and even some of its own files.
- SGR flare review work:
- Continued validating the software injections, particularly
investigating some issues involving the durations of white-noise burst
waveforms, and the normalizations of high-frequency ring-downs.
- Investigated issues in the event and segment lists used by the analysis.
- Re-ran s4 string search for review using updated V11 segment lists.
- Telecons:
______________________
Amber L. Stuver:
LIGO Research
- Communicated with the ExTrig group regarding applications of my
investigation into detection delay and SNR ratio of candidate GW
events. I am interested to expanding this to the next logical
application and using the timing codes to efficiently determine
possible source locations. To that end, I have generalized my
codes to determine a set of sky locations that produce an the exact
time delay instead of looking for coordinates from a table of discrete
delays. I will be presenting the work I've done thus far at the
ExTrig telecon next week and there is talk among the parties interested
in source locations to have a telecon to determine the best method of
doing this.
- I am working with Joe and Chad on the h(t) full data set
validation. Joe and Chad are running all of the dag jobs to
produce the data and I am doing to post-processing. Currently, I
am adapting the post-processing codes that Joe sent me to do this
analysis.
SEC Work
- Gave control room tours to ~180 students.
- Working of draft document on LIGO and GWs that I have been
talking to people from the PhysTEC program about producing. The
audience of this document are teachers and policy makers so it will be
relatively short and elementary enough to be digestible by an educated
audience.
______________________
Drew Keppel:
______________________
Pinkesh Patel:
______________________
Joseph Betzwieser:
- Re-running Crab pulsar search with corrected DC calibrations.
Working with Chad and Amber to get full S5 run H(t) to H(f) comparisons
started.
______________________
Chad Hanna:
- I have started h(t) noise jobs for all of S5, which will
compare the difference in h(t) and h(f) for 100 frequencies across the
band. (with help from joe)
- I have also managed to get a (small) workflow to complete on
ldg resources using pegasus (with help from britta) which will
hopefully allow me to diagnose the larger inspiral workflows.
______________________
Kari Alison Hodge:
- I am writing a python script that will automate the ranking of
potential GW events by using the multivariate classification random
forest method.
______________________
Anand Sengupta:
- High mass search runs at different chisq values. more in coming weeks.
- Ccontinued working on the fast convolution schemes. talked to
professor vaidyanathan in the signal processing department about this.
some references received.
- Wrote some sections of the trigScan paper.
______________________
Kent Blackburn for the Grid R&D Group:
GRID APPLICATION DEVELOPMENT
- Write Agenda/Minutes for weekly LIGO-Pegasus telecon:
- Attend weekly LIGO-Pegasus, DASWG, Inspiral coding, OSG-USERS, OSG-INTEGRATION telecons
- Write agenda and minutes for telecon on WS-GRAM usage for LIGO
- Meet with Chad Hanna to discuss LDG-OSG progress and future planning
- Re-test LDG remote submission via ldg_submit_dax ihope activity
- Run ihope dag without condor compiling the code (sire failures) --> all jobs held
- Run ihope dag without sire jobs --> all jobs held
- Further trouble shooting with condor compiled code in progress
- E@OSG activity:
- Attempt to deploy and run at UWM--fail
- Deploy successful at BNL_ATLAS_1 and TTU_ANTAEUS
- One interactive TTU run succcessful
OPEN SCIENCE GRID INTEGRATION AND VALIDATION TESTBED
- ITB-testing LBNL_DSD_ITB in progress--> troubleshooting with Jeff Porter
OPEN SCIENCE GRID MANAGEMENT
- Prepared for web page and agenda for next week's monthly OSG Counci meeting.
- Traveled to Fermilab to attend OSG Executive Board Meeting and OSG Finance Board Meeting.
- Other: Attended NSF Cybersecurity Summit in Washington DC.
Laboratory Computing (Anderson)
LDAS Software Systems (Maros)
- Work continues on porting frameCPP to version 7 of the frame
specification. The integration into LDAS of this new version has
started. The current efforts are focused on supporting the createRDS
command.
- The removal of files by cntlmon has been modified to use TCL internal commands instead of spawning the rm system command.
- The frameAPI has been modified to properly handle writeFrame requests where the job has timed out.
- System testing of the LDAS software was done using version 1.9.283. All of the system tests completed as expected.
- Week long testing on ldas-test is using version 1.9.280 of the
LDAS software. The system has been updated to mount /archive and to
have grid certificates be located in /etc/grid-security. Jobs for this
system are currently being submitted using the globus socket interface.
LDAS System Administration (Anderson)
Caltech
(Dan Kozak)
- Did 6140 firmware upgrades.
- Cleaned up various messes associated with the 3510 (metadata) at LHO resetting itself due to dead UPS batteries.
- Replaced root drive mirror on opterondata-cit.
- Did the "big switch" at CIT--new /archive, /home1 & /home2 filesystems on 6140s.
- Got SL8500 and all associated tape drives working fully with SAM-QFS.
- Dealt with morbo panic caused indirectly while getting the SL8500 online.
- Restored deleted user files for Emma.
- Replaced bad fan in opterondata-cit.
- Labeled all 3600 tapes in SL8500.
- Closed case with Sun re: morbo crashing as NFS server/QFS client under load.
- Labeled boxes in PB storage as LIGO property with my phone number.
- Replaced 3 bad 3510 disks.
- Did FrCheck of frames in cluster, no new bad ones.
- Sent opterondata-cit crash report to Sun.
- Got /backup set up.
- Created pegasus/ldrclient users on ldas-cit and mapped certs in
grid-mapfile.gridftp to them to prevent Pegasus users and other sites'
LDR datarobots from having write access to the CIT archive.
- Modded the "Australian" patch to not NFS share out empty directories when QFS filesystems fail to mount.
- Worked on archiver.cmd config at CIT.
- Set up access to shared QFS filesystems (archive) on ldas-test, dataserver-test & opterondata-dev.
- Reconfigured 3510-11 to be new TEST system /export (ongoing).
- Ran samfsck on opterondata-cit's /archive, /home1 & /home2 after several unexpected reboots.
(Phil Ehrens)
- Arranged Janitorial service for Synchrotron 215A.
- Verified that no code currently in the LDAS frame API assumed a
constant stride value for multiple frame files based on the dt of the
1st file.
- No suspicious MCE events were logged on the CIT cluster in the last week.
- Replaced TWO fans in node231 and one in node52. The failed fans
were detected by the related production of large numbers of correctable
errors on the hard drives adjacent to the failing fans.
- Met with Tom Nash and Hannah Williams to discuss the format and
content of the Directory Services data to be supplied for use in the
MOU review process. A tab seperated table of values will be used.
- Ordered new sticky mats for the entryway to Synchrotron 215A from McMaster-Carr.
- Initiated RMA procedure with ASA Computers for 17 memory dimms, 4 Hard Drives, and 1 motherboard for the CIT cluster nodes.
- Node321 has powered off spontaneously twice in the last week. The motherboard will be replaced.
MIT
(Fred Donovan)
- data7, replaced copper with fiber uplink; upgrade ldas-sundev1
to centos; added 2 nodes to cluster(nodes5&6); node51 consistently
crashes (EIP error) - some other nodes crashed: is qpipeline crashing
some nodes? some debug time spent on frame read errors re: BH
qpipeline w\ Filippo.
Livingston
(Igor Yakushin)
- u1d2@T3-21 (/archive) failed and was replaced by u1d4@T3-2.
- / file system on gateway got filled with the patch/package
files to 100%. That killed some of the services including RLS and frame
publishing. Cleaned /. The services are restored.
- Found a bug in glue.segmentsUtils.fromsegwizard() function and
reported it to DASWG: the current version cannot handle duration in
scientific format.
Hanford
(Greg Mendell)
General Computing (Wallace)
MIT
(Fred)
- Installed more ram joseph (matlab).
- More xp backup conf.
- More KM xp install.
- Some licensing issues (matlab/meetingmaker) and troubleshooting (same).
- Wireless troubleshooting.
- Helped troubleshoot a box at LHO.
Livingston
(Dwayne)
- Rebuilt basin after suspected combination of PCA and Solaris
Security Toolkit caused reboot failure. patched fully with PCA
after reinstall. Reboots fine now.
- Created a restricted access website for a user.
- Created a new mailing list for the LSC Auth Comm.
- Unplugged an old WAP in the SEC.
- Working a couple procurement items with Dell.
- Installed printers for a user.
- More Evo testing with different hardware.
- Installed a beta version of GPGMail on a Leopard install, since no official release for Leopard yet. So far so good.
- Installed Office 2008 on a Mac.
- Installed Bento Filemaker software on a couple of Macs.
- Replaced multiple printer ink cartridges.
- Reset a user's GC password.
- Configured a VPN similar to CIT. works fine from on site, remote testing needed.
- Other usual/unusual user support requests.
- Cleared spam trap.
- LLO mail summary for 2 May 2008 - 8 May 2008:
Rejected: 15,120 (3 containing virus)
Accepted: 6,785
Total: 21,905
Hanford
(Larry)
- Worked on a couple of e-mail alias setups and added another mailman list.
- Assisted Christian on troubleshooting (via phone) of a couple of boxes and one of the printers.
(Mike)
- Worked on freeing up DHCP numbers.
- Some work on their mail server.
(Christian)
- Created backup images of Yacolt, Tiffany and new Windows client backup server located at LHO.
- Updating Inventory of computer at Hanford this week.
- Replaced memory and updated firmware on Color3 printer at Hanford.
- Other misc.: Continued onsite software/phone support.
Caltech
(Christian)
- Alan Weinstein - Configured workstation to connect to Kyocera/scanner on the 6 floor of Millikan.
(Mike)
- Setup a EVO workstation in SCR. This is an on-going project.
- Worked on the mail servers with Larry. Many problems this week
with mounted disks that causes issues with the other mail servers.
- Some work on ADV LIGO server here at CIT. Adding an evaluation license.
- Printer on 3rd floor: Swapped out all toner cartridges.
- Ordered additional computer equipment for users.
- Clean up work on our NISPLUS server correcting some alias issues with user accounts.
- Loaded a sun workstation for Peter King. I ended up having to upgrade this box in order to run the latest version of Solaris.
- Made room in my office to start loading new Sun servers to replace some of our older servers that are scheduled for upgrades.
- Other user misc. user support plus sysadmin tasks.
(Melody)
- New DCC: Met with Linda to discuss the requirement
priorities and demonstrate the capabilities of DocDB. Looked at the
DocDB code to see what it would take to preserve the current DCC
numbering scheme. DocDB does not currently allow an alternative to
their numbering scheme (all documents are assigned numbers from one
sequence). Reading the documents generated by George Stokes.
(Veronica)
- LIGO: Ongoing work on a website of travel
information: Working on mashups for the CIT travel pages.
Coordinated a plan with site administrators to develop a 'webkit' of
travel information at the sites. Ongoing work on the PAC meeting
website. Addressed an issue of the GWIC website setup after
migration to a local server. Other website updates /user support.
- LSC: Updates of the database of technical papers, other web updates.
- CaJAGWR: Taping /processing of the video of the 05/06 talk, EVO webcast setup. Website updates.
(Larry)
- Worked a number of procurements. The SUN equipment is starting
to show up, all the equipment for LHO did arrive. Ordered a number of
workstations and a notebook upgrade. Purchased a number of misc.
computer support items. Getting quotes on fibers.
- Spent more time dealing with EVO issues. More people are
starting to use it. We will probably need to setup a lunchtime training
session just to get everyone familiar with it. It has been used for a
number of regular meetings and they are improving in quality. Work is
still being done to try and get the Mac machines to work better with
the system.
- Spent time working air-conditioning issues. All seem to be resolved at this time.
- Working on new builds of a number of servers. Hopefully, we will be able to start putting the on-line next week.
- Worked with Mike on some computer configurations, e-mail troubleshooting and account modifications.
- Went over a number of different web items. The web work is continuing to grow.
- Regular user assistance.
Advanced LIGO and Supporting R&D (Shoemaker)
Advanced LIGO Management
Project Management
from Carol Wilkinson
Project Controls
- A training session for subsystem leads and cost accounts
holders on the Earned Value Reporting was held on Tuesday, May 6.
- The AdL Acquisition Plan for procurements >$250K will be ready
on Monday, May 13 for submission to NSF through the Office of Sponsored
Research..
- Change Request ADL-CR-080002 for the transfer of ~$140K of
charges from operations to the project has been approved and is
circulating for signatures.
Procurements
- The subaward contract for MIT was submitted to techmart on May
8 and will be going through the CIT approval process for large
dollar value contracts.
- Contracts for the University of Florida and ARES project controls
staff, and other LIGO contract workers on the project are being
prepared and processed in the LIGO Business Office.
- Bids for the Core Optics glass blanks have been received and are being evaluated.
- Technical leads in FMP, SUS, and SEI are working on RFQ’s
for site preparation, SUS BSC test stands, and HEPI procurements.
Progress Updates
- Progress updates have been completed for the month of April.
The first monthly meeting to go over the earned value reports and to
discuss cost and schedule issues was held on May 8.
- The project is ~1 week behind schedule and under running budget
slightly due to delay in making procurements while waiting for funding
to be available and some delay in bringing on new hires.
- A draft of the first monthly status report to NSF will be
circulated to LIGO management on Monday, May 12 before being given to
NSF on May 13.
Advanced LIGO
Systems
From: Dennis Coyne <coyne@ligo.caltech.edu>
From: Peter Fritschel <pf@ligo.mit.edu>
Operations Activities:
- Reviews - Supporting or conducting the following reviews simultaneously, all at various stages of completion:
- HEPI FRR: review to be scheduled in May.
- IO FDR & Long-Lead PRR: Committee met to review team answers to questions. Next committee meeting date is 5/9.
- E/ITM Glass FDR/PRR: All review data available. Review questions/comments due 5/9. Committee meeting week of 5/19.
- E/ITM Mechanics FDR/FRR: Held 2nd committee meeting to discuss questions/comments with team. Draft report next week.
- FMP PDR & (limited) Fab readiness review: preparing for a review in May
where FDR = Final design review, PDR = preliminary, FRR = fabrication,
PRR = procurement, and the other acronyms are standard LIGO subsystem
terms. For a list of reviews, see the main AdL wiki page <http://lhocds.ligo-wa.caltech.edu:8000/advligo>
AdL Project-Funded Activities:
- Technical Review Board (TRB): Nothing significant to report.
- Vacuum Review Board (VRB): Nothing significant to report.
- Configuration Control: Nothing significant to report.
- Design:
- AOS/SYS continued exploring an alternative layout based on
very small wedge angles (~0.1 deg). This layout option simplifies
the baffling/beam-trap design and eliminates the need for a separate
POX telescope. The small (.08 deg) horizontal ITM wedge angle
simplifies accommodation in the quad suspension. A few remaining
details need to be worked out before declaring this option the new
baseline.
- Provided responses to Systems PDR committee questions.
Preparing more detailed final design phase plans for committee review.
Next meeting to address additional questions in 2 weeks.
- Using Matt Evans' new formulation of coating thermo-optic
noise, we've looked at how much thermal noise reduction is possible
using non-quarter-wave coating layers (aka 'optimized design').
Using the current estimate for loss in the tantala coating layers
(2.3e-4), we find mirror thermal noise can be reduced by 5% in
amplitude with a non-quarter- wave design.
- Mark Barton is working on a Matlab formulation of
suspension thermal noise for the new stepped-diameter circular fiber
design; it will be incorporated into Bench when ready. The predicted
noise level for the new design is 2-3 times smaller than past
predictions for the ribbon design.
- Interfaces:
Modeling and Simulation
From: Hiroaki Yamamoto hiro@ligo.caltech.edu
Static IFO Simulation (Hiro, Muzammil)
- Muzammil is visiting Caltech this week to work with Hiro so
that he can run the SIS simulation code himself at Univ. Florida.
- Mutual validation, SIS vs modal model, is also going going.
- Another work scheduled is the research of the LLO mode matching issue using the old MIT FFT program.
Frequency Domain Simulation (Osamu)
- As a continuation of the work with Eiichi last week, Osamu kept working the WFS signals of 2k IFO using Finesse.
- A program is setup to simulate 4k IFO and 2k IFO. Most of the
signals published in the ASC LIGO note were reproduced as validation.
- Osamu simulated the ITM thermal lens effect by changing the ROC
seen from PRC. Some of the signals showed interesting thermal lens
dependence.
- He is going to calculate using realistic parameters and using
various scenarios of thermal heating to see if the observed behavior of
the signal can be explained.
Mechanical Simulation for Advanced LIGO (Sany and SLU team)
- Continued the e2e modeling of the AdvLIGO Input Mode Cleaner
(IMC) taking into account the PSL frequency noise incident to the IMC.
As reported last week, the modified IMC’s control servo filter
reduces the MC transmitted light’s frequency noise above the
crossover frequency (60 Hz) but increases the noise below 0.3 Hz. To
investigate this problem, took the open loop transfer function for this
low frequency range below 0.3 Hz. Consequently, several peaks were
found both in the length and frequency control open loop transfer
functions’ magnitude in 0.1<f<1.5 Hz. Will look into the
problem.
Facilities Modifications and Preparations
From: John Worden <worden_j@ligo-wa.caltech.edu>
- Researching several automated parts washing solutions.
- Pricing electric fork lifts and/or pallet jacks for heavy BSC and HAM ISI transport.
Prestabilized
Laser
From: Peter King <pking@ligo.caltech.edu>
Operations
- I have started drafting notes for a proposed "laser incident"
threshold. Things are very much at the beginning since I am
gathering data about retina damage threshold levels.
Project
- Rolf and I are about to start the installation of the DAQ
hardware for the laser tests at the AEI. In the meanwhile Rolf
has been checking the software here to make sure it is current.
Control and Data Systems
From: Vern Sandberg <sandberg@ligo-wa.caltech.edu>
Sensor Electronics
- A sub-circuit is being designed for the ASI input to the AdLIGO
RFPD. This is a critical design as it has a direct impact on the
input referred noise of the RFPD. This involves simulating and
prototyping a current source for the RFPD AS_I Input.
OMC Electronics
- A hardware shutter has been designed and sent to the board
house for manufacture. This shutter protects the OMC in-vacuum
DCPD from the high optical power pulse of light associated with lock
loss in the interferometer main arm. The boards will be back from
the board house next week. The metal work for the front and rear
panels of the satellite box to house the electronics is complete, and
the electronics parts are going on order today. It is anticipated
that the first article will be under test late next week.
- Commissioning/testing of the servo control loops at LLO and revising the QPD whitening board design.
- Calculations and measurements were performed on the 3mm InGaAs
photodiodes presently used in the OMC to determine a safe level for the
DC reverse bias. 15 volts is deemed reasonable from the
standpoint of reverse breakdown and with consideration to the thermal
cooling in vacuum.
Seismic
- Reviewing material for the HEPI readiness review that is
forthcoming. This includes collecting documentation for
fabrication and preparations to build the new electronics.
- ISI commissioning on the HAM6 platform at LHO: installation work on STS sensors.
- Work on prototype DAQ system -- ISI controls: Correcting ADC
overflow/shutdown problems for overdriven inputs and commissioning of
EPICS MEDM screens.
Facilities
- DC power supply prototyping and evaluation for DC distribution system -- setting up vendor interviews.
TCS
- Collecting information for our next revision of the electronics for the TCS Interface and the low noise preamps.
SUS
- Completed initial draft of requirements for Recycling Mirror Suspension Electronics.
- Finishing UK Satellite Amplifier Pre-production Test and Evaluation report. It should be ready by next week.
- Starting procurement of long lead items for BSC Test stands for
LHO and LLO. We need a clear definition of how the test stands will be
used before we can complete the design and fabrication.
DAQ
- Working with General Standards on a solution to the recently
observed overvoltage problem in their ADCs. (See Seismic -- ISI
work.)
Management/Administrative/Reviews & Documentation
- Timing System PDR: Continue overseeing dialog between review committee and timing system proposers for their PDR.
- Writing up a description of the Front End IO systems in preparation for the PDR DAQ review scheduled for June.
Seismic Isolation
From: Ken Mason kmason@ligo.mit.edu
- SEI Activities and Progress at LHO: ISI re-balanced to
account for newly-installed Sensors; vertical actuator wiring switched
to change sign. Many tests and measurements conducted by Jeff
& crew. External SEI is complete. Preparing for HAM6
installation for next week.
- BSC ISI Installation and Test: The spare small actuator
has been cleaned and installed. We are currently going through final
tests and balancing before installing the dome back on the BSC chamber.
- HAM SEI documentation and Design/ HAM Gullwing Design:
Design of Crossbeam and Support Tube Clamps almost finalized. Changes
to HEPI Boot almost ready for sign-off. New Cap for HEPI Offload Spring
has been designed, but still needs to be detailed. Engineering drawings
for some parts will be ready next week.
Suspensions
From Greenhalgh, RJS \(Justin\) <J.Greenhalgh@rl.ac.uk>
ALUK held its latest Project Management Committee on 2 May 2008 (See LIGOM080061-00-K). A brief activity summary follows:
- RAL: All parts for the BS prototype have arrived;
waiting on wire jig to allow assembly. OJEU process status remains as
follows:
- Machined items. Supplier selected. FRR in progress.
- Weldments. Contract placed. FRR complete.
- Blade springs. Tender process restarted
(irksome problems with material supply and choice of company). The
hysteresis problem with the wires seems to be understood at least to a
level that allows alignment of the suspensions.
- Glasgow: Decision made to switch from ribbons to fibres.
Fibre pulling successful at Glasgow and LASTI. Improvements to pulling
machine encoder in hand. Still aiming for monolithic assembly at LASTI
in mid-June.
- Birmingham/Strathclyde: OSEM manufacturing started.
Feedback on the electronics nearly complete; info supplied so far has
been acted on. The sensor part of the violinmode sensor has been
prototyped and tested; the electronics is being refined.
- Overall: continued steady progress towards monolithic
suspension at LASTI; target mid-June. Working on getting contracts
placed for ETM/ITM production; first contracts now placed. Starting to
make production OSEMs and pre-production electronics. We note that the
SPI interface is still undefined, and that it may require rework of
parts to accommodate it. The definition of the requirements for the
electronics for the remaining suspensions will be needed soon; delays
will further reduce the already small testing window.
From Janeen Romie and Norna Robertson (romie_j@ligo-la.caltech.edu, nroberts@ligo.caltech.edu)
Operations Work
HAM Suspensions for Advanced & Enhanced LIGO:
- Awaiting precise specification from the Vacuum Review Board on
stainless alloys allowed in the vacuum system to confirm proposed
wording on drawings. We are working now to get replacement non-303
stainless hardware (screws, nuts, washers, etc.) The LHO OMC structure
is in heat treatment and will go to post machining next week.
- Drawings are being created for many recycling mirror suspension parts. Drawing check is ongoing.
- Jay Heefner has produced a document giving the electronics requirements for the recycling mirror triple suspension.
BSC Suspensions for Advanced LIGO:
- The next batch (20) of noise prototype BOSEMs has been shipped
from Birmingham to Caltech where they will be tested for outgassing
under load and (separately) as a function of temperature.
- The ETM/ITM fab readiness review for the machined parts is
still ongoing. Another meeting was held this week at which the UK team
answered comments and questions from the review committee. One of the
outstanding items which may affect the design is the size of the
ETM/ITM wedge, and this is being worked on by Systems.
- Norna attended the monthly ALUK telecon.
- Mark Barton has drafted a document on wire attachment points
and flexure corrections which captures the terminology and usage which
has evolved with our increased understanding of the relevant physics
and the development of more sophisticated suspension models. Related to
this topic, Norna has drafted a RODA on the choice of "d" values for
the BSC suspensions (where d values are the effective offsets of
attachment points from the centres of mass of the various masses, whose
values have a strong effect on the lowest pitch frequency in
particular).
Project-Funded Activities
- Architectural drawings for the sites specifying facilities for
sub-system production work are being reviewed. This is in preparation
for a Facilities Modifications Review. The HEPI Fabrication Readiness
Review is ongoing with participation from SUS as reviewers.
- Work on the electronics tests stands for the BSC suspensions has started.
Core Optics
From: GariLynn Billingsley <Billingsley_G@ligo.caltech.edu>
Project
- We have received all quotes for core optics glass, there are no
surprises. An evaluation committee has the quotes and will meet
next week to make a source recommendation.
- The metrology labs are almost operational again. We are
waiting on chilled water in order to bring the absorption measurement
back on line.
- With the impending availability of sub-basement space, we have
decided to wait on procurement of a full aperture fizeau
interferometer, to be able to install in February of 2009. We
will take delivery of polished optics with the current small aperture
interferometer, but plan to have the full aperture instrument on line
in time for measuring the coated optics.
Development
- We are asymptotically approaching the final wedges and
orientations for Advanced LIGO layout. The BS .04 ITM .08
To finalize layout for H1,H2 we need to be sure that everything fits.
Mike Smith is working on this, and will check with Lukes solid works
layout (need zeemax output to start) SUS needs this
information by end of May.
- The LASTI CP is scheduled to arrive at MIT by the end of June
with gold coating for both the ESD and to limit barrel
emissivity. The ESD mask fabrication is underway at
Caltech. The coating vendor has not yet provided a quote, in
spite of regular prodding.
- Phil's calculations indicate that the barrel coating really
does have to go to the edge, otherwise it compromises TCS
performance. We have yet to determine exactly what "to the edge"
means. Matt evans has calculated the field effects of having the
barrel coating close, he concludes that while the field suffers a bit
at the edge, the drive capability is not impacted. Again, these
are early results and will be documented more precisely.
- Mitrafonov has found that removal of first contact leaves
a significant charge on the optic surface. The charge was
distributed regularly, in patches of about 1 cm, in both negative and
positive clumps.
- Cheryl Vorvick has found some interesting chipping of a TM due to the EQ stops:
Auxiliary Optics
From: Michael Smith <smith@ligo.caltech.edu>
ADLIGO
Work Under Project Budget
- IFO Layout: The non-folded, stable cavity IFO layout
with 0.04 deg BS wedge and 0.08 ITM wedge is a great layout--it
eliminates all of the extra ITM and BS ghost beam beam dumps and the
ITMX PO telescope, while enabling the ITMX PO beam. Phil noticed that
the CP may need a small wedge (~0.04 deg) in order to remove the CP
ghost beam from causing interference with the main beam. Mike will
investigate that. He has begun the layout of the folded IFO with the
same wedge angles.
Justin thought the 0.08 wedge on the ITM was workable; however, a more
accurate method for aligning the CP parallel to the ITM AR surface
needs to be implemented (accuracy << 0.08 deg). An autocollimator
is nice and may suffice.
Mike will check the retroreflectance at the interface between the ITM
barrel and the ITM AR surface and the fiber weld flats.
Work Under Operations Budget
- AOS Management: Mike met with Dennis and Eric to help
understand the operations financial reports as an aid in managing the
AOS Operations budget.
ELIGO
- SLC: Luke has almost completed the preliminary design
for the HAM5 baffle, which covers the entire 60.5 in diameter aperture
of the HAM chamber, and has sent drawings to various vendors for their
input. The baffle weights 130 lbs, and may require a special
installation fixture. He needs definite end points for the beams that
must traverse through the baffle, so he can provide holes at the proper
locations.
Ken has sent out drawings of the manifold baffle for quotes.
Input Optics
From: David tanner@phys.ufl.edu
- Mode matching design: We have been working on Advanced LIGO
simulations with Caltech (Hiro). Primarily we have been trying to
reconcile between modal model and FFT simulations at least
qualitatively. (Muzammil)
- Faraday: We have investigated low thermal conductivity
materials for DKDP segmented ring heater design. (Luke) We have also
received quotes from ATFilms for TFP for AdvLIGO. (Rodica)
- Baffles and bean dumps: Started investigation of stray light in
the IO components for the IO baffle design: 1) reading LIGO documents
treating same aspects (T060303-00-D, T070062-02-D, ...); 2) Tested
importing CAD objects in ZEMAX trying various formats for the mode
cleaner layout and modified coating catalog with specific IO values.
(Rodica)
E-LIGO (Development)
- Mode cleaner thermal effects have been investigated and initial
results indicate that we may face quite a bit of thermal mode mismatch
due to high absorption in MC mirrors, specifically at LHO. The analysis
is still on-going. (Muzammil)
- We have made list of IO e-LIGO parts with stainless 303 or phosphor-bronze and determined surface areas. (Luke)
- We have scheduled travel to LHO to install the e-LIGO phase
modulator. The installation will begin next week. (Volker and David)
For additional
information about this report, contact Albert Lazzarini