Support for LIGO Data Analysis and Instrumentation Research at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

自从2015年首次探测到引力波(GW)以来，努力转向使NSF的激光干涉引力波天文台(LGO)成为多信使天文观测的一部分，这些观测正在改变我们对天体物理学和宇宙学的理解。为了利用引力波观测站对宇宙进行更远和更精确的观测，必须在探测器仪器和校准方面取得进展。这些改进的科学回报将是巨大的，但随着每一代GW探测器的出现，扩展LIGO的科学覆盖范围也变得更加具有挑战性。该奖项支持提高先进LIGO探测器长度响应精度的研究，从而改善探测器对传入引力波的宽带响应校准。同时，还支持开展研究，以调查和减轻由于探测器附近的湍流气流或质量运动而产生的牛顿噪声的影响。除了它对我们对宇宙的基本理解的影响外，这项资助的研究也是一个很好的机会，可以培训UTRGV新的物理博士项目中的研究生进行GW研究，并加强STEM的工作力量。随着LIGO探测器即将运行的O4，探测其他类型的源甚至未知的源变得更有可能。为了显著增加先进探测器的科学覆盖面，该小组将在以下主要领域开展项目。仪器：改进光子校准器的面积，以确定aLIGO干涉仪配置的准确长度响应，本质上是对测量的引力波幅度的校准，方法是通过增强光子校准器(PCal)系统的绝对功率测量和校准以及通过改进引力波校准的理论模型来改善光子校准器(PCal)的响应。噪声特性：开发数值模型以生成真实的精细采样的温度场并运行完整的流体动力学模拟，以确定湍流涡旋的频率分布，并观察湍流气流如何对探测器的灵敏度起作用。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Since detecting gravitational waves (GW) for the first time in 2015, efforts have shifted towards making NSF's Laser Interferometric Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LGO) a part of multi-messenger astronomy observations that are changing our understanding of astrophysics and cosmology. In order to look farther and more precisely at the universe with gravitational wave observatories, advances in detector instrumentation and calibration must be pursued. The scientific payoff from such improvements will be enormous but extending the scientific reach of LIGO also becomes more challenging with every generation of GW detectors. This award supports research to improve the accuracy of the length response from the advanced LIGO detectors, so as to improve the wide-band response calibration of the detectors for incoming gravitational waves. At the same time, studies are supported to investigate and mitigate the effects of Newtonian Noise that are created through turbulent airflow or movement of masses in the vicinity of the detectors. In addition to its impact on our fundamental understanding of the Universe, the funded research is also a great opportunity to train graduate students in UTRGVs new Physics PhD program in GW research and strengthen the STEM workforce.With the upcoming O4 run of the LIGO detectors, the detection of other types of sources and even unknown ones is becoming more likely. With the goal of significantly increasing the science reach of the advanced detectors, the team will work on projects in the following major areas. Instrumentation: improvements in the area of the Photon Calibrators to determine the exact length response for the aLIGO interferometer configuration, in essence the calibration of the measured gravitational wave amplitude, by improving the Photon Calibrator (PCal) response through enhancements of the absolute power measurement and calibration of the PCal system and through improvements of the theoretical model of the gravitational wave calibration. Noise characterization: the development of a numerical model to generate realistic finely sampled temperature fields and run a full hydrodynamic simulation, to determine the frequency distribution of turbulent vortices, and to see how turbulent airflow acts back on the detector sensitivity.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.