LIGO Document P080072-x0

Accurate measurement of the time delay in the response of the LIGO gravitational wave detectors

Document #:
LIGO-P080072-x0
Document type:
P - Publications
Abstract:
We present a method to precisely calibrate the time delay in a long baseline gravitational-wave interferometer. An accurate time stamp is crucial for data analysis of gravitational wave detectors, especially when performing coincidence and correlation analyses between multiple detectors. Our method uses an intensity-modulated radiation pressure force to actuate on the mirrors. The time delay is measured by comparing the phase of the signal at the actuation point with the phase of the recorded signal within the calibrated data stream used for gravitational wave searches. Because the signal-injection path is independent of the interferometer's control system, which is used for the standard calibration, this method can be an independent verification of the timing error in the system. A measurement performed with the 4 km interferometer at the LIGO Hanford Observatory shows a 1 µs relative accuracy when averaging over 50 min. Our understanding of the systematic time delay in the detector response has reached the level of 10 µs.
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Notes and Changes:

Rev P080072-00-Z:
- Full document number: LIGO-P080072-00-Z
- Author(s): Yoichi Aso; Evan Goetz; Peter Kalmus; Luca Matone; Szabolcs Marka; Brian O'reilly; Joshua Myers; Rick Savage; Paul Schwinberg; X. Siemens; Daniel Sigg; Nicolas Smith
- Document date: 2008-07-10
- Document received date: 2008-07-10
- Document entry date: 2008-07-10
Referenced by:
Journal References:
Published in Class Quant Grav vol. 26 pg. 055010 (13pp).

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