Krishna, Sheila, Hugh, Fabrice:
We have been chasing large amplifications at low frequencies (in the range of 10mHz to 30mHz) caused by the Z zensor correction of HEPI, which is necessary to reduce the Z to RZ coupling on Stage 1. It looks like the Z HEPI inertial isolation is causing rotations (RX, RY), that are causing tilt signal in the Stage 1 horizontal seismometers, that couple to X and Y as we blend at 45 mHZ, and then shows up into the cavity signal.
The problem was mostly visible on the BS unit. We convinced ourself that Z to tilt was the problem by moving Stage 1 in high blend, which very significantly reduced the Mich amplification around 20 mHz (which exist only when the Z sensor correction is ON)
It seems that the excessive Z to tilt coupling in the BS was caused by off centered vertical position sensors (up to 24000counts). We recentered them by applying a HEPI vertical force. The Z to Mich coupling is now much lower. So I guess that the gain of the sensors was affected by the large offsets and thus creating excessive Z to RX and RY couplings.
Comparison with high blend configurations show that there is probably room to further reduce this coupling. We need the measure the Z to RX and RY coupling and apply corrections.
The plot attached shows the Mich Out signal:
- in the first box, HEPI Z sensor correction is ON, Stage 1 X abd Y are in low blend, the IPS are off centered. The low frequency amplication is huge.
- in the second box, HEPI Z sensor correction is ON, Stage 1 X abd Y are in high blend, the IPS are still off centered. The low frequency amplication is gone.
- in the third box, HEPI Z sensor correction is ON, Stage 1 X abd Y are in low blend, the IPS are re-centered. Our current understanding/aseumption is that the Z to RX and RY coupling on HEPI has been well reduced.
The latest configuration is likely the best compromize:
- good micro-seism atenuation thanks to the low blend on X and Y
- low vertical to pitch coupling thanks to the Z feedback
- little RZ amplification at the micro-seism thanks to the Z sensor correction to HEPI (that offloads Stage 1 Z drive at the micro-seism)
- amplification acceptable at very low frequency, now that the IPS have been re-centered. We'll try to further improve it.
An ASD plot of the MICH_OUT channel is attached under different configurations. The first (RED) is with no sensor correction on BS, ITMX and ITMY. The second (BLUE) is with X, Y sensor correction signals to all three BSCs. The third (GREEN) is with Z sensor correction to HEPI for the BS chamber, showing the large low frequency amplification. The fourth (BROWN) shows the MICH_OUT with the IPS recentered and same configuration as the third. Tilt-decoupling on HEPI ought to reduce the amplification further.
Z sensor correction has been turned OFF on BS and ITMY. X and Y sensor corrections seem to be working fine and can be left ON.
Could be that I'm missing something but it sounds to me like at least one of the IPS is not working properly (ie broken). They are supposed to be linear to within 0.1% over the full range (+/- 0.05 inches)