LIGO
Scientific Collaboration Formation PlanLIGO
Scientific Collaboration Formation Plan
LIGO construction is proceeding and is presently about 50% complete. The construction project is scheduled to be completed in 1999, at which time a commissioning program will begin. We plan to complete the commissioning, associated engineering tests, and sensitivity studies by the end of 2001.
The first science run (LIGO I) with the initial detectors at design sensitivity (h ~ 10-21) is planned to begin in 2002. We propose that the LIGO I run be planned and scheduled for two years of calendar time, to begin once design sensitivity is reached. This will enable a serious search (~1 year live time) for binary neutron inspirals (our benchmark design source), and will include an allowance for instrument studies, downtime, etc.
Although this is a notable and exciting milestone, reaching far beyond present or anticipated searches for gravitational waves, the detection of neutron binary inspiral events is likely to require even better sensitivity. At this time, the best estimate for the number of such sources corresponds to an event rate in LIGO of a few detections per year at h ~ 10-22 (note that the improvement of 10 for sensitivity corresponds to a factor of 103 in rate), and conservative estimates require even greater sensitivity. Thus, for detection or for increased event rate, it is crucial that LIGO be able to achieve such sensitivities. This goal has been an integral part of the planning and design philosophy, since the project was first proposed to the NSF.
This has resulted in an approach toward the LIGO design which requires that the constructed facilities (e.g. vacuum, external noise, etc.) will not limit the interferometry, even at levels of sensitivity of the most advanced detectors anticipated. In addition, a conservative plan for the initial detectors has been adopted that is based, as much as is possible, only on technologies that the R&D program has demonstrated; and as much flexibility as possible is being incorporated into the design, in order to anticipate implementation of improved detectors.
Improvements to the sensitivity will be possible both by making incremental enhancements to various subsystems, or by the installation of new ``advanced'' interferometers. Although the LIGO design anticipates such an evolution to the instruments, the most crucial element in developing these improvements will be a vigorous advanced R&D program to carry out the challenging developmental work.
As the initial detector design is finalized and construction begins, the supporting R&D for the construction project is beginning to wind down. We propose to continue our R&D effort, but direct it more toward future enhancements and detectors that promise to lead to improved sensitivity. We are developing this program in a fully collaborative mode. A proposal for this advanced R&D by LIGO, along with a set of complementary or collaborative proposals by outside groups, has been submitted to the NSF.
To provide structure and organization for this program, to set priorities, and to enable collaborating groups to participate effectively, we propose to initiate a formal LIGO Scientific Collaboration. This Collaboration will include organized "development groups" involved in LIGO I and in advanced systems development and, thereby, future participation in LIGO science.
Following the initial LIGO I data run, it will be possible and desirable to implement major subsystem enhancements and/or the installation of advanced interferometers. Implementation of advanced subsystems, interferometer tests, and continued science data running will be interleaved, so as to optimize the overall LIGO program. Those participating in these developments will join with continuing LIGO I groups for future data taking and science.
At present, development groups are being formed both for LIGO I, and for the development of advanced subsystems and detectors. These development groups are defined through Memoranda of Understanding (MOUs) with the LIGO management. It is now prudent to form an overall LIGO Scientific Collaboration to organize and coordinate all of these efforts. This document outlines our plans to form this Collaboration. It has evolved from our earlier drafts, following feedback from the LIGO PAC, the NSF Review of LIGO, the LIGO Oversight Committee and the community present at the 1997 Aspen Winter Workshop and the General Meeeting of the LIGO Research Community at the 1997 Washington APS Meeting. We are soliciting additional comment by posting this document on the LIGO Web site.
The LIGO construction project is organized with a task oriented structure, which is optimized to carry out and to meet the milestones, costs, and schedules of LIGO construction. This organization will be replaced with an operational LIGO Laboratory organization (more typical of a research laboratory) as the construction comes to completion. In fact, we plan to create this new Laboratory organization now, in order to operate the LIGO sites as they come into operation, the R&D facilities on the campuses after they complete their tasks for design of the construction project, and for organizing the creation of computer systems, software and analysis for LIGO.
We define the new organization as the LIGO Laboratory, consisting of the activities supported under LIGO Operations and Advanced R&D support from the NSF. This includes administration of the LIGO detector facilities and the support and test facilities at Caltech, MIT, Hanford and Livingston. The LIGO Laboratory, in its initial phase (through 2001), is to be administered by Caltech and MIT through a Directorate and Groups responsible for Detector Support, for Computing/ Analysis, Site Operations, Campus Research Facilities, Technical and Engineering Support, etc.
The LIGO Scientific Collaboration will be organized as a separate organization from the LIGO Laboratory. It will include scientists from the LIGO Laboratory, and those from collaborating institutions, and will have its own leadership and governance. The Collaboration will insure equal scientific opportunity for individual participants and institutions. It will organize the research, publications, and all other scientific activities. The Collaboration will report to the Laboratory Directorate for final approval of its research program, technical projects, observational physics publications, and talks announcing new observations and physics results. This will be done through regular reports to the Directorate and its PAC.
Technical and scientific research in LIGO will be organized through the LIGO Scientific Collaboration.
Membership will be formally proposed to the Collaboration. The proposal will define the research and contributions of the group, commitments to the program, resources and competing commitments. The minimum group size for institutional membership is three individuals with significant commitments to LIGO research. In exceptional circumstances, the Collaboration Council can accept a smaller group.
We propose that an initial period for formation of the charter group of institutions in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration will commence on March 1, 1997 and will end following the first full meeting of the Collaboration at which the Collaboration Council will assume its role. We expect that this transition will occur within six months. Membership in the Collaboration during this charter period will be initiated by proposal to the LIGO Laboratory Directorate.
Following the charter period the proposal will be evaluated through the Collaboration Council. With Collaboration approval, an MOU with the LIGO Laboratory, including Attachments defining specific work, will be negotiated for each participating institution.
A representative body with proportionate representation, called the Collaboration Council, will be the main governing body of the Collaboration. It will consist of representatives at a rate of 1 per multiple of 5 collaborators, with every institution having at least one representative. The representatives will be chosen by their institution and the Spokesperson will be the Chair of the Collaboration Council. The list of active collaborators will be defined in the institutional MOU with the LIGO Laboratory and will be updated every 6 months (in general, a collaborator is someone expected to be included as an author on publications resulting from the research). The chairs of each of the development groups, defined below, will also be members of the Council regardless of institutional representation. The four LIGO Laboratory sites (Caltech, MIT, Hanford Observatory, Livingston Observatory) will be considered separate institutions on the Collaboration Council.
The Spokesperson will be elected and will serve a three year term. The Spokesperson must be approved by the Laboratory Directorate, and will coordinate all the activities of the Collaboration and will represent it to the LIGO Laboratory and to the outside community. The Spokesperson's detailed roles and responsibilities will be defined in the Collaboration rules.
The initial Spokesperson will be appointed by the LIGO Directorate, and subsequent Spokespersons will be elected.
The Spokesperson will choose a Deputy Spokesperson, with the approval of the Collaboration Council and the Laboratory Directorate.
The rules for joining the Collaboration, commitments, guidelines for publishing, presenting at conferences, etc. will be defined by the Collaboration through the Collaboration Council.
The LIGO I Development Group will be the scientific collaboration for implementing and exploiting the initial LIGO detector and physics through the initial science data run. Only groups who establish a specific attachment approved by the LIGO Laboratory, which defines a sufficient contribution and participation in LIGO I development, implementation or data analysis will be part of this initial LIGO data run and science. Participation in future data runs and science that follow LIGO I will be possible for other groups, with guidelines to be determined by the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. It is anticipated that LIGO I data will only be made available through formal collaboration within the LIGO I Development Group during the first two years following its collection.
The general guideline for institutional membership in the LIGO I Development Group is that the contribution per collaborator of any new group to the design, construction, and implementation of the initial LIGO detector and to the first data run be comparable to that of the LIGO Laboratory scientists.
The Isolation/Suspension/Thermal Noise Development Group will be the scientific collaboration for defining and developing future isolation and suspension improvements for use in advanced subsystems for the initial LIGO interferometers or in entirely new advanced interferometers. A specific Attachment will define the roles and responsibilities of groups in this development group. Members of this group will normally be authors on publications reporting the work of the group and will normally be eligible to participate in data runs and science beyond the LIGO I data run.
The Lasers/Optics Development Group will be the scientific collaboration for defining and developing future high power lasers and required improvements in optics for use in advanced subsystems for the initial LIGO interferometers or in entirely new advanced interferometers. A specific Attachment will define the roles and responsibilities of groups in this development group. Members of this group will normally be authors on publications reporting the work of the group and will normally be eligible to participate in data runs and science beyond the LIGO I data run.
The Advanced Detector Configurations Development Group will be the scientific collaboration for defining and developing entirely new advanced interferometers. It is expected that this development group will pursue research in dual recycling, resonant sideband extraction, Sagnac interferometers, systems with non-transmitting optics and other advanced configurations. A specific Attachment will define the roles and responsibilities of groups in this development group. Members of this group will normally be authors on publications reporting the work of the group and will normally be eligible to participate in data runs and science beyond the LIGO I data run.
The Collaboration Council may initiate formation of additional Development Groups.
Last Modified: May 30, 1997
Please send comments to Gary Sanders.