Stanford Program in Support of LIGO – Seismic Isolation and Controls

该奖项支持相对论和相对论天体物理学的研究，并解决了NSF“宇宙之窗”大构想的优先领域。斯坦福大学的LIGO团队致力于通过开发技术来减少地面运动对探测器的影响，从而提高激光干涉仪引力波天文台（LIGO）的性能和可靠性。这笔拨款支持研究新技术，通过在地面运动隔离系统中实施新的传感技术来降低限制LIGO探测器灵敏度的噪音，并通过提高探测器在具有挑战性的环境条件下（如风暴和地震）的运行能力。在良好的条件下，LIGO观测站可以24小时运行，但恶劣的环境条件限制了观测站的稳定运行。由这笔拨款资助的改进技术和控制方案将有助于最大限度地提高这些一流设施的科学产出。这项拨款还支持研究，通过展示在不影响其运行的极低振动条件下冷却敏感光学器件的方法，使下一代探测器能够在低温下运行。这笔拨款支持开发几种互补的方法来改进先进的LIGO。在短期内，改进地震预警方案的实施将使现场的操作员能够更好地利用美国地质勘探局实时地震预警系统的信息，以便在远震（即遥远）地震增加的运动影响操作之前，探测器可以从低噪声变为强大的配置。这笔拨款还支持对新的防风围栏的研究，该围栏是在之前的资金循环中开发的，最近在LIGO汉福德天文台建成。从中期来看，这笔拨款支持在斯坦福大学的测试设施中建造和测试地震平台干涉仪（SPI）。该SPI设计用于干涉连接天文台的各种隔离系统，从而大大减少频率低于1 Hz的相对运动。这种集成可以减少控制噪声，并提高LIGO探测器的鲁棒性。从长远来看，这笔拨款支持开发新的低温热传输系统，包括稀氮气和氮气热虹吸管，用于斯坦福大学的测试设施。这些系统将用于测量如何从下一代探测器中快速去除热量。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award supports research in relativity and relativistic astrophysics and it addresses the priority areas of NSF's "Windows on the Universe" Big Idea. The LIGO team at Stanford works to improve the performance and reliability of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatories (LIGO) by developing technology and techniques to reduce the impact of ground motion on the detectors. This grant supports the study of new techniques to reduce the noise that limits the sensitivity of the LIGO detectors by implementing new sensing technology in the ground motion isolation systems, and also by increasing the ability of the detectors to operate in challenging environmental conditions such as wind storms and earthquakes. Under good conditions, the LIGO observatories can operate 24 hours a day, but challenging environmental conditions limit the observatories' stable operation. The improved technology and control schemes funded by this grant will help maximize the scientific output of these premier facilities. This grant also supports research to enable the next generation of detectors which may operate at low temperature, by demonstrating ways to cool the sensitive optics without compromising the extremely low-vibration conditions in which they operate.This grant supports development of several complementary approaches to improving Advanced LIGO. In the short term, the implementation of improved earthquake warning schemes will enable the operators at the sites to better utilize information from the realtime USGS earthquake early warning systems so that the detectors can change from a low-noise to a robust configuration before the increased motion from teleseismic (i.e., distant) earthquakes can affect operations. The grant also supports the study of the new wind protection fences which were developed in the previous funding cycling and constructed recently at the LIGO Hanford Observatory. In the medium term, this grant supports the building and testing of a Seismic Platform Interferometer (SPI) in the test facility at Stanford. This SPI is designed to be used to interferometrically connect the various isolation systems at the Observatories so as to dramatically reduce the relative motion at frequencies below 1 Hz. This integration should reduce the control noise and also improve robustness of the LIGO detectors. In the long term, this grant supports the development of new cryogenic heat transport systems, both dilute nitrogen gas and nitrogen thermo-siphons for the test facility at Stanford. These systems will be used to measure how to remove heat quickly from next generation detectors.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.