As a follow up to Lilli's analysis (see LHO aLOG 44590) on where to move the calibration lines, I re-ran Keith Riles' analysis from 4 years ago (about time to refresh this analysis!) on where to avoid dithering so as not to detrimentally impact pulsar searches with accessible spindown limits (see LHO aLOG 14836). I downloaded the scripts, made a new ATNF pulsar catalog table (see this link), and used an aLIGO design sensitivity curve as needed by Keith's script (from T1800044).
To summarize the differences between Keith's analysis and mine:
1) I use an updated ATNF pulsar catalog file
2) I use an updated aLIGO noise curve
3) Changed the reference Julian date to Jan. 1, 2019 --> MJD=58484
Comparing the Oct. 2014 (left columns) with Oct. 2018 (right columns):
Non-vetoed bands for veto half-band = 1.000000 (one or two times pulsar frequency)
33.42- 37.32 Hz ( 3.91 Hz) 33.42- 37.31 Hz ( 3.90 Hz)
42.88- 49.58 Hz ( 6.71 Hz) 42.88- 43.70 Hz ( 0.83 Hz)
45.71- 49.58 Hz ( 3.88 Hz)
51.59- 54.69 Hz ( 3.11 Hz) 51.59- 54.69 Hz ( 3.11 Hz)
57.22- 58.30 Hz ( 1.09 Hz) 57.22- 58.23 Hz ( 1.02 Hz)
60.31- 60.93 Hz ( 0.63 Hz) 60.24- 60.91 Hz ( 0.68 Hz)
62.94- 63.12 Hz ( 0.19 Hz) 62.92- 63.11 Hz ( 0.20 Hz)
65.13- 81.32 Hz ( 16.20 Hz) 65.12- 87.10 Hz ( 21.99 Hz)
83.33- 87.10 Hz ( 3.78 Hz)
89.11- 122.87 Hz ( 33.77 Hz) 89.11- 102.21 Hz ( 13.11 Hz)
104.22- 122.83 Hz ( 18.62 Hz)
124.88- 159.80 Hz ( 34.93 Hz) 124.84- 159.80 Hz ( 34.97 Hz)
161.81- 172.68 Hz ( 10.88 Hz) 161.81- 172.68 Hz ( 10.88 Hz)
174.69- 201.79 Hz ( 27.11 Hz) 174.69- 181.11 Hz ( 6.43 Hz)
183.12- 220.35 Hz ( 37.24 Hz)
203.80- 320.61 Hz ( 116.82 Hz)
222.36- 238.51 Hz ( 16.16 Hz)
240.52- 320.61 Hz ( 80.10 Hz)
322.62- 346.37 Hz ( 23.76 Hz) 322.62- 346.37 Hz ( 23.76 Hz)
348.38-2000.00 Hz (1651.63 Hz) 348.38- 363.23 Hz ( 14.86 Hz)
365.24-2000.00 Hz (1634.77 Hz)
where blank lines exist, the script did not output a corresponding line for the given pulsar catalog with 4 years difference.
I'll summarize Keith to say that the above is rather conservative, to stay 1 Hz away from known pulsars with accessible spindown limits when searching at both 1f and 2f. Observe that it's impossible to find a frequency band below 33.4 Hz under these considerations. If we instead focus on 2f searches, again comparing Oct. 2014 with Oct. 2018:
Non-vetoed bands for veto half-band = 1.000000 (two times pulsar frequency)
33.42- 37.32 Hz ( 3.91 Hz) 33.42- 37.31 Hz ( 3.90 Hz)
42.88- 49.58 Hz ( 6.71 Hz) 42.88- 43.70 Hz ( 0.83 Hz)
45.71- 49.58 Hz ( 3.88 Hz)
51.59- 54.69 Hz ( 3.11 Hz) 51.59- 54.69 Hz ( 3.11 Hz)
57.22- 58.30 Hz ( 1.09 Hz) 57.22- 58.23 Hz ( 1.02 Hz)
60.31- 63.12 Hz ( 2.82 Hz) 60.24- 63.11 Hz ( 2.88 Hz)
65.13- 81.32 Hz ( 16.20 Hz) 65.12- 87.10 Hz ( 21.99 Hz)
83.33- 87.10 Hz ( 3.78 Hz)
89.11- 122.87 Hz ( 33.77 Hz) 89.11- 102.21 Hz ( 13.11 Hz)
104.22- 122.83 Hz ( 18.62 Hz)
124.88- 320.61 Hz ( 195.74 Hz) 124.84- 220.35 Hz ( 95.52 Hz)
222.36- 320.61 Hz ( 98.26 Hz)
322.62- 346.37 Hz ( 23.76 Hz) 322.62- 346.37 Hz ( 23.76 Hz)
348.38-2000.00 Hz (1651.63 Hz) 348.38- 363.23 Hz ( 14.86 Hz)
365.24-2000.00 Hz (1634.77 Hz)
If we are less restrictive on the band vetoed, allowing for 0.5 Hz rather than 1.0 Hz:
Non-vetoed bands for veto half-band = 0.500000 (two times pulsar frequency)
10.99- 11.04 Hz ( 0.06 Hz)
15.46- 15.50 Hz ( 0.05 Hz)
16.67- 16.76 Hz ( 0.10 Hz)
32.92- 37.81 Hz ( 4.90 Hz)
40.45- 40.65 Hz ( 0.21 Hz)
42.38- 44.20 Hz ( 1.83 Hz)
45.21- 50.08 Hz ( 4.88 Hz)
51.09- 55.19 Hz ( 4.11 Hz)
56.72- 58.73 Hz ( 2.02 Hz)
59.74- 63.61 Hz ( 3.88 Hz)
64.62- 87.60 Hz ( 22.99 Hz)
88.61- 102.71 Hz ( 14.11 Hz)
103.72- 123.33 Hz ( 19.62 Hz)
124.34- 220.85 Hz ( 96.52 Hz)
221.86- 321.11 Hz ( 99.26 Hz)
322.12- 346.87 Hz ( 24.76 Hz)
347.88- 363.73 Hz ( 15.86 Hz)
364.74-2000.00 Hz (1635.27 Hz)
Attached are the plot outputs for each of veto bands 1.0, 0.5, 0.1, and 0.01 Hz and text files for pulsars with spindown limits and non-vetoed bands. The plotted magenta bands mark pulsars with an accessible 1*F spindown limit, green bands mark pulsars with an accessible 2*F spindown limit, and black bands mark pulsars where a 1*F or 2*F spindown limit is not accessible. The blue curve shows the 1-year 2-IFO sensitivity for the zero-detuned, high-power configuration.
Suggestions for calibration line frequencies were (from LHO aLOG 44590):
LLO - Stay with the current choices - 15.7 Hz, 16.3 Hz, 16.9 Hz, and add one more 18.1 Hz (notes: 16.9 is not a prime divided by 10; 18.1 is closer than 0.1 Hz to a known pulsar with accessible spindown)
LHO - 15.5 Hz, 16.7 Hz, 18.3 Hz, 18.9 Hz (notes: 15.5, 18.3, and 18.9 are not a prime divided by 10; 18.3 is closer than 0.1 Hz to a known pulsar with accessible spindown)
Suggested modifications based on this analysis and choosing primes divided by 10:
LLO - 15.7 Hz, 16.3 Hz, 17.3 Hz, and 18.1 Hz (unless this causes issues for the CW group)
LHO - 15.1 Hz, 16.7 Hz, 17.9 Hz, and 19.1 Hz (unless this causes issues for the CW group)
Bottom line: When the suspension actuator calibration lines are moved to lower frequencies (< 20 Hz), then we will be within 1.0 Hz of an accessible pulsar, but further than 0.1 Hz except for suggested 17.3 Hz, 17.9 Hz, and 18.1 Hz calibration lines.