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NASA NTRS1992

Optical motion sensor for resonant-bar gravitational wave antennas

An experiment is described in which an optical method was used to measure fluctuations in the separation between two mirrors of a Fabry-Perot sensor cavity. Noise measurements were made to determine the sensitivity of this device to vibration amplitudes in the frequency range 1.1-2.1 kHz, which is of interest for resonant-bar gravitational wave antennas. The rms spectral noise density for length fluctuations in this range was sq rt 3.7 x 10 exp -15 m/Hz and can be related to electronic noise of the circuitry plus vibrational noise from the environment. The cavity finesse was relatively low at 117, and the power dissipated in the mirrors was estimated to be 1.9 micro-W. On a multimode gravitational wave detector, the sensor cavity would be formed by one reference mirror and by one mirror mounted on the last resonator. For a 1200-kg bar, 1.2-g last resonator system operating at 1600 Hz the sensor described here would exhibit a noise temperature of 18 micro-K; the resolution in h in the case of negligible thermal noise from the mechanical system would be sq rt 3.7 x 10 exp -18/Hz. Improvements in the sensitivity in a quiet antenna-like environment should be possible with higher finesse mirrors.

Richard, J.-P.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Nonclassical light in interferometric measurements

It is shown that the even and odd coherent light and other nonclassical states of light like superposition of coherent states with different phases may replace the squeezed light in an interferometric gravitational wave detector to increase its sensitivity.

Ansari, N. A.↗

NASA NTRS1995

Technical and commerical challenges in high Tc SQUIDs and their industrial applications

A SQUID is the most sensitive device for measuring changes in magnetic flux. Since its discovery in the sixties, scientists have made consistent efforts to apply SQUID's to various applications. Instruments that are the most sensitive in their respective categories have been built, such as SQUID DC susceptometer that is now manufactured by Quantum Design, pico-voltmeter which could measure 10(exp -14) volts, and gravitational wave detectors. One of the most successful applications of SQUID's is in magnetoencephalography, a non-invasive technique for investigating neuronal activity in the living human brain. This technique employs a multi-channel SQUID magnetometer that maps the weak magnetic field generated by small current when information is processed in brain, and its performance is marvelous.

Lu, D. F.↗

NASA NTRS2003

Precision Pointing for the Laser Interferometry Space Antenna Mission

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is a planned NASA-ESA gravitational wave detector consisting of three spacecraft in heliocentric orbit. Lasers are used to measure distance fluctuations between proof masses aboard each spacecraft to the picometer level over a 5 million kilometer separation. Each spacecraft and its two laser transmit/receive telescopes must be held stable in pointing to less than 8 nanoradians per root Hertz in the frequency band 0.1-100 mHz. The pointing error is sensed in the received beam and the spacecraft attitude is controlled with a set of micro-Newton thrusters. Requirements, sensors, actuators, control design, and simulations are described.

Hyde, T. Tupper↗

NASA NTRS2003

Precision Pointing for the Laser Interferometry Space Antenna Mission

Hyde, T. Tupper↗

NASA NTRS2004

An Acquisition Control for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is a planned gravitational wave detector consisting of three spacecraft in heliocentric orbit. Laser interferometry is used to measure distance fluctuations between test masses aboard each spacecraft to the picometer level over a 5 million kilometer separation. Each spacecraft has two incoming and two outgoing laser beams for a total of six laser links. These links will have to be established sequentially at the start of the mission, and the spacecraft control systems must aim their lasers at each other with pointing motions less than 8 nanoradians per root Hertz in the frequency band 0.1-100 mHz. This paper presents a strategy for the laser acquisition process. The outgoing beam on one spacecraft is spoiled to provide a wide beam that encompasses the accuracy (noise and mounting bias) of the star tracker. The control system then takes advantage of an array of sensors with increasing sensitivity to quiet the receiving spacecraft and lock the laser. This process is carried out for each of the six links of LISA. A complete analysis and simulation of the acquisition process are presented.

Maghami, Peiman G.↗

NASA NTRS2004

LISA Propulsion Module Separation Study

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission is a space-borne gravitational wave detector consisting of three spacecraft in heliocentric orbit. Each spacecraft is delivered to it operational orbit by a propulsion module. Because of the strict thermal and mass balancing requirements of LISA, the baseline mission concept requires that the propulsion module separate from the sciencecraft after delivery. The only propulsion system currently baselined for the sciencecraft are micronewton level thrusters, such as FEEP or colloid thrusters, that are used to balance the 30-40 microN of solar radiation pressure and provide the drag-free and attitude control of the spacecraft. Due to these thrusters limited authority, the separation of the propulsion module from the sciencecraft must be well controlled to not induce a large tip-off rotation of the sciencecraft. We present here the results of a design study of the propulsion module separation system that is shown to safely deliver the LISA sciencecraft to its final operational orbit.

Merkowitz, Stephen↗

NASA NTRS2004

LISA Thermal Design

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, a space based gravitational wave detector, uses laser metrology to measure distance fluctuations between proof masses aboard three spacecraft. The total acceleration disturbance to each proof mass is required to be below 3 x 10(exp -15) meters per second squared per the square root of Hertz. Optical path length variations on each optical bench must be kept below about 3 pm per the square root of Hertz. Noise due to spacecraft thermal distortions, temperature difference variations across proof mass housing, and other thermal effects are expected to be a significant contributors to these noise budgets. The LISA Integrated Modeling team developed a detailed thermal model that is currently being used to drive the design of LISA. Several new thermal analysis techniques are also being developed in order to achieve model accuracies to LISA levels. We present here an overview of the LISA thermal design and modeling efforts. The latest thermal results calculated using the current baseline design of LISA are also discussed.

Merkowitz, Stephen↗

NASA NTRS2004

Controller of the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna mission is a planned gravitational wave detector consisting of three spacecraft in heliocentric orbit. Laser interferometry is used to measure distance fluctuations between test masses aboard each spacecraft to the picometer level over a 5 million kilometer separation. The Disturbance Reduction System comprises the pointing and positioning control of the spacecraft, electrostatic suspension control of the test masses, and point-ahead and acquisition control. This paper presents a control architecture and design for the Disturbance Reduction System to meet the stringent pointing and positioning requirements. Simulations are performed to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed architecture.

Hyde, T. T.↗

NASA NTRS2006

The NASA Beyond Einstein Program

Einstein's legacy is incomplete, his theory of General relativity raises -- but cannot answer --three profound questions: What powered the big bang? What happens to space, time, and matter at the edge of a black hole? and What is the mysterious dark energy pulling the Universe apart? The Beyond Einstein program within NASA's Office of Space Science aims to answer these questions, employing a series of missions linked by powerful new technologies and complementary approaches towards shared science goals. The Beyond Einstein program has three linked elements which advance science and technology towards two visions; to detect directly gravitational wave signals from the earliest possible moments of the BIg Bang, and to image the event horizon of a black hole. The central element is a pair of Einstein Great Observatories, Constellation-X and LISA. Constellation-X is a powerful new X-ray observatory dedicated to X-Ray Spectroscopy. LISA is the first spaced based gravitational wave detector. These powerful facilities will blaze new paths to the questions about black holes, the Big Bang and dark energy. The second element is a series of competitively selected Einstein Probes, each focused on one of the science questions and includes a mission dedicated resolving the Dark Energy mystery. The third element is a program of technology development, theoretical studies and education. The Beyond Einstein program is a new element in the proposed NASA budget for 2004. This talk will give an overview of the program and the missions contained within it.

White, Nicholas E.↗

NASA NTRS2006

Binary Black Holes, Gravitational Waves, and Numerical Relativity

The final merger of two black holes releases a tremendous amount of energy and is one of the brightest sources in the gravitational wave sky. Observing these sources with gravitational wave detectors requires that we know the radiation waveforms they emit. Since these mergers take place in regions of extreme gravity, we need to solve Einstein's equations of general relativity on a computer in order to calculate these waveforms. For more than 30 years, scientists have tried to compute these waveforms using the methods of numerical relativity. The resulting computer codes have been plagued by instabilities, causing them to crash well before the black holes in the binary could complete even a single orbit. This situation has changed dramatically in the past year, with a series of amazing breakthroughs. This talk will take you on this quest for the holy grail of numerical relativity, showing how a spacetime is constructed on a computer to build a simulation laboratory for binary black hole mergers. We will focus on the recent advances that are revealing these waveforms, and the dramatic new potential for discoveries that arises when these sources will be observed by LISA and LIGO.

Centrella, Joan↗

NASA NTRS2007

Application of the Hilbert-Huang Transform to the Search for Gravitational Waves

We present the application of a novel method of time-series analysis, the Hilbert-Huang Transform, to the search for gravitational waves. This algorithm is adaptive and does not impose a basis set on the data, and thus the time-frequency decomposition it provides is not limited by time-frequency uncertainty spreading. Because of its high time-frequency resolution it has important applications to both signal detection and instrumental characterization. Applications to the data analysis of the ground and space based gravitational wave detectors, LIGO and LISA, are described.

Camp, Jordan B.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Current LISA Spacecraft Design

The Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) mission, a space based gravitational wave detector, uses laser metrology to measure distance fluctuations between proof masses aboard three spacecraft. LISA is unique from a mission design perspective in that three spacecraft and their associated operations form one distributed science instrument, unlike more conventional missions where an instrument is a component of an individual spacecraft. The design of the LiSA spacecraft is also tightly coupled to the design and requirements of the scientific payload; for this reason it is often referred to as a "sciencecraft." A detailed discussion will be presented that describes the current spacecraft design and mission architecture needed to meet the LISA science requirements.

Merkowitz, Stephen↗

NASA NTRS2009

Arm Locking for the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna

Maghami, P. G.↗

NASA NTRS2008

Precision Measurement of Black Hole Binary Dynamics: Analyzing the LISA Data Stream

One of the richest potential sources of insight into fundamental physics that LISA will be capable of observing is the inspiral of supermassive black hole binaries (BHBs). However, the data analysis challenge presented by the LISA data stream is quite unlike the situation for present day gravitational wave detectors. In order to make the precision measurements necessary to achieve LISA's science goals, the BHB signal must be distinguished from a data stream that not only contains instrumental noise, but potentially thousands of other signals as well, so that the "background" we wish to separate out to focus on the BHB signal is likely to be highly nonstationary and nongaussian, as well as being of scientific interest in its own right. In addition, whereas the theoretical templates that we calculate in order to ultimately estimate the parameters can afford to be somewhat inaccurate and still be effective for present day and near future detectors, this is not the case for LISA, and extremely high fidelity of the theoretical templates for high signal-to-noise signals will be required to prevent theoretical errors from dominating the parameter estimates. NVe, will describe efforts in the community of LISA data analysts to address the challenges regarding the specific issue of BHB signals. These efforts include using a Markov Chain Monte Carlo approach with the freedom to model the BHB and the other signals present in the data stream simultaneously, rather than trying to remove other signals and risk biasing the remaining data. The Mock LISA Data Challenge is a community of LISA scientists who generate rounds of simulated LISA noise with increasingly difficult signal content, and invite the LISA data analysis community to exercise their methods, or develop new methods, in an attempt to extract the parameters for the signals embedded in the mock data. In addition to practical approaches such ,is this to assess the level of parameter accuracy, one can apply the Fisher matrix formalism to assess both the statistical errors from noise and the theoretical errors

McWilliams, Sean T.↗

NASA NTRS2009

LISA: Detecting Gravitational Waves from Space

The laser interferometer space antenna (LISA), a joint NASA/ESA mission, will be the first dedicated gravitational wave detector in space. This presentation will provide a tutorial of the LISA measurement concept.

Livas, Jeff↗

NASA NTRS2010

Characterizing Black Hole Mergers

Binary black hole mergers are a promising source of gravitational waves for interferometric gravitational wave detectors. Recent advances in numerical relativity have revealed the predictions of General Relativity for the strong burst of radiation generated in the final moments of binary coalescence. We explore features in the merger radiation which characterize the final moments of merger and ringdown. Interpreting the waveforms in terms of an rotating implicit radiation source allows a unified phenomenological description of the system from inspiral through ringdown. Common features in the waveforms allow quantitative description of the merger signal which may provide insights for observations large-mass black hole binaries.

Baker, John↗

NASA NTRS2010

A LISA Interferometry Primer

A key challenge for all gravitational wave detectors in the detection of changes in the fractional difference between pairs of test masses with sufficient precision to measure astrophysical strains with amplitudes on the order of approx.10(exp -21). ln the case of the five million km arms of LISA, this equates to distance measurements on the ten picometer level. LISA interferometry utilizes a decentralized topology, in which each of the sciencecraft houses its own light sources, detectors, and electronics. The measurements made at each of the sciencecraft are then telemetered to ground and combined to extract the strain experienced by the constellation as a whole. I will present an overview of LISA interferometry and highlight some of the key components and technologies that make it possible.

Thorpe, James Ira↗