Quick search Find article
Quick search
Find article

Feedforward correction of mirror misalignment fluctuations for the GEO 600 gravitational wave detector

J R Smith1, H Grote1, M Hewitson1, S Hild1, H Lück1, M Parsons2,3, K A Strain2 and B Willke1

Show affiliations


The core instrument of the GEO 600 gravitational wave detector is a Michelson interferometer with folded arms. The five main optics that form this interferometer are suspended in vacuum by triple pendulums with quasi-monolithic lower stages of fused silica. After installation of these pendulums in early 2003, a larger than expected coupling of longitudinal ground motion to tilt misalignment of the suspended optics was observed. Because of this, the uncontrolled misalignment of the optics during average conditions was several µrad Hz−1/2 in the frequency band around the pendulum resonance frequencies (0.5–4 Hz). In addition, it was found that longitudinal control signals applied to the intermediate pendulum stages also resulted in excessive mirror tilt. The resulting misalignment exceeded the level tolerable for stable operation of GEO 600. In order to reduce the level of mirror tilt, a bipartite feedforward system was implemented. One part feeds signals derived from seismic measurements to piezo-electric crystals in the stacks supporting the suspensions, reducing the longitudinal motion of the uppermost suspension points. The other applies tilt correction signals, derived from longitudinal control signals, to the intermediate level of the suspensions. The seismic feedforward correction reduces the root-mean-squared tilt misalignment of each main optic between 0.1 and 5 Hz by about 10 dB, typically. The intermediate-mass feedforward correction reduces the differential tilt misalignment of the Michelson interferometer by about 10 dB between 0.1 and 0.8 Hz, typically.


PACS

04.80.Nn Gravitational wave detectors and experiments

95.55.Ym Gravitational radiation detectors; mass spectrometers; and other instrumentation and techniques

MSC

83C35 Gravitational waves

Subjects

Instrumentation and measurement

Gravitation and cosmology

Astrophysics and astroparticles

Dates

Issue 14 (21 July 2005)

Received 29 April 2005, in final form 7 June 2005

Published 6 July 2005



  1. Feedforward correction of mirror misalignment fluctuations for the GEO 600 gravitational wave detector

    J R Smith et al 2005 Class. Quantum Grav. 22 3093

  2. Lagrangian and Hamiltonian for the Bondi–Sachs metrics

    J Korbicz and J Tafel 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 3301

  3. The Evolution of Galaxies in X-Ray-luminous Groups

    Tesla E. Jeltema et al. 2007 ApJ 658 865

  4. Development of a tritium fuel processing system using an electrolytic reactor for ITER

    T. Yamanishi et al 2000 Nucl. Fusion 40 515

  5. Classical Cepheid Pulsation Models. X. The Period-Age Relation

    G. Bono et al. 2005 ApJ 621 966

  6. Black-hole entropy in loop quantum gravity

    Krzysztof A Meissner 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 5245

  7. The logic of causally closed spacetime subsets

    H Casini 2002 Class. Quantum Grav. 19 6389

  8. Hamiltonian analysis of Plebanski theory

    E Buffenoir et al 2004 Class. Quantum Grav. 21 5203

  9. X-Rays from the Vicinity of the Protostar L1551 IRS 5: Reflection or Fast Shocks?

    John Bally et al. 2003 ApJ 584 843

  10. Intraband vs. interband scattering rate effects in neutron irradiated MgB2

    M. Putti et al 2007 EPL 77 57005

View by subject




Export








Please login to access our web services, or create an account if you don't yet have one.

You must have cookies enabled in your web browser to be able to login.

Username
Password

Forgotten your password? Get a new one here.