In order to measure the optimal gouy phase for the BS sensing I' ve measured the sensing matrix between Sc_BS_MAR_TX_CORR @ 3.1 Hz (for tx) and 3.7Hz (for ty) in the last 200sec of Carm null 1f (having a statistics of 200 days locks since the January 2025) and ASC_B1p_QD1/2_50MHz_H/V_I (in which we have the automatic tuning of the phase to minimize the even modes).
The result is visible in Figure 1, considering (TBC) that QD1 has -45 deg of gouy phase and QD2 45 deg (if this is wrong the fit has to be redone).
Then it comes out that the optimal gouy phase is 78 deg for ty and 16 deg for tx.
I received three high temperature alarm from North End Building. I did not take immediate action because the readings were not excessively high. When I arrived on site, the DMS showed that the temperature was in normal limit (green flag). I couldn't check remotely because the internet is down since yesterday. At the North End Building the chiller was working properly and the temperature inside the hall seemed right. Then alarms ceased.
* Note that any files attached to this report are available in the On-call interface.
While inspecting the WI payload we noticed three spots on the AR surface of the mirror. Looking through the CP, we can see two spots in the right lower direction from the center and one is located in the left lower direction from the center. All of them are within a range of 10 cm from the center.
Some remarks: the spots do not look like point absorbers. PAs are usually sub-micrometer scale and these are round cloudy mm-scale spots. A cleaning operation would be very risky and we decided not to touch the mirror, also motivated by the fact that the spots are NOT located in the HR surface of the mirror.
Some pictures will follow when the network is back.
This morning starting from 11:00 LT me, Rossi Fabrizio and INGV people (Greco Filippo, Messina Alfio and Mirabella Luca) mooved the Absolute Quantum Gravimeter from 1500W Fiber Lab to WEB experimental Hall as scheduled (#69223). The packaging procedures were completed at 12:00 LT. Then, we mooved the boxes up to WEB and we installed it along the south wall of the building (Fig 1). The hardware installation was completed around 13:30 LT. We left WEB at 13:45 LT and we went back to the building at 14:45 LT. We encountered some issues with the local interent connection in the morning (not related with the loss of GARR connection reported by IT Service), the problem has been soved by IT department in the afternoon. We completed the installation at 15:30 LT with the Gravimeter fully operational locally, once the GARR connection will be restored it will be able to be reached from outside EGO.
The Gravimeter, its control unit and the Computer must not be touched, advicing signs have been attached nearby.
During the WI payload works we also verified that the PAM system is well aligned with the mirror center. The led of the PAM system on the tower base was swicthed on and Ettore from inside the tower verified that the led beam was reaching the same place it was before. The baffles around the payload were taken as reference for this check.
Detector Operation (Operations Report)gherardini - 16:51 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69410)
Print this reportOperator ReportBelow the list of the activities communicated in control room:
PAY: WI payload balancing and final tuning (#69411); VAC: WI tower closing and evacuation; Absolute Quantum Gravimeter installation at west end building (#69411);
During the WI payload works we also verified that the PAM system is well aligned with the mirror center. The led of the PAM system on the tower base was swicthed on and Ettore from inside the tower verified that the led beam was reaching the same place it was before. The baffles around the payload were taken as reference for this check.
While inspecting the WI payload we noticed three spots on the AR surface of the mirror. Looking through the CP, we can see two spots in the right lower direction from the center and one is located in the left lower direction from the center. All of them are within a range of 10 cm from the center.
Some remarks: the spots do not look like point absorbers. PAs are usually sub-micrometer scale and these are round cloudy mm-scale spots. A cleaning operation would be very risky and we decided not to touch the mirror, also motivated by the fact that the spots are NOT located in the HR surface of the mirror.
Some pictures will follow when the network is back.
melo, benedetti - 21:11 Thursday 23 July 2026 (69424)
Print this report
Here the pictures of the spots found yesterday.
Images attached to this comment
Safety (General safety)majorana - 15:51 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69407)
Print this reportComment to WI operations (69402)We leave the NI vacuum chamber at 12:45
Safety (General safety)majorana - 15:50 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69406)
Print this reportComment to WI operations (69402)We exit at 12.45
AdV-PAY (NI and WI Payloads)benedetti, gherardini, majorana - 15:31 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69405)
Print this reportComment to WI payload deployed (69395)This afternoon, we checked the electrical continuity and insulation towards the tower for the following cables: S1 and S2 (marionette coils); U1 (Ring Heater); U2 (Ring Heater motors); U3 (mirror coils for sensing and PT100 on marionette coil); V1 (mirror coils); V2 and V3 (marionette motors); Z2 (temperature probes on mirror coils and on ring heater).
Everything is fine except one connector (U1) not well connected at the level of the F7 cage, problem fixed.
Safety (General safety)majorana - 8:59 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69402)
Print this reportWI operationsAccess into the WI Chamber now
Comments to this report:
majorana - 15:50 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69406)
Print this reportWe exit at 12.45
majorana - 15:51 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69407)
Print this reportWe leave the NI vacuum chamber at 12:45
Safety (Laser Safety)mwas - 20:34 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69401)
Print this reportComment to NI bottom flange opening request (69126)
In case someone in the future wants to connect the opening and closing of work permits. The NI tower permit to work has been closed using an independent logbook entry https://logbook.virgo-gw.eu/virgo/?r=69393
AdV-PAY (NI and WI Payloads)benedetti, majorana, Menzione, Pasqualetti, Pinto, Zaza - 17:58 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69395)
Print this reportWI payload deployedIn the afternoon we deployed the payload into the vacuum chamber, connected the cage to F7 and the suspension wire. The operations have been concluded at 17:30
- The load on the SA must be revised. - At a glance a marionette roll seems to appear we compensated on the fly using a further counterweigth, but T7 blades must be considered not to exceed the load.
We see tomorrow morning
Comments to this report:
eugenio.benedetti - 19:49 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69399)
Print this reportSome pic of the operations
Images attached to this comment
benedetti, gherardini, majorana - 15:31 Wednesday 22 July 2026 (69405)
Print this reportThis afternoon, we checked the electrical continuity and insulation towards the tower for the following cables: S1 and S2 (marionette coils); U1 (Ring Heater); U2 (Ring Heater motors); U3 (mirror coils for sensing and PT100 on marionette coil); V1 (mirror coils); V2 and V3 (marionette motors); Z2 (temperature probes on mirror coils and on ring heater).
Everything is fine except one connector (U1) not well connected at the level of the F7 cage, problem fixed.
While the IMC and the RFC were locked and the BPC was following the IMC, we tried to change the setpoints of the AA control loop. We changed the setpoints of the MCT_{h/v}_SET and {N/F}F_AC{h/v}_SET channels. While changing the FF_ACv_SET setpoint toward negative values, there were a clear improvement RFC_TRA power, however, the Ioop became unstable because the sensing matrix changed with the setpoint.
The next figure shows the evolution of the IMC_TRA and RFC_TRA while we were changing the diffferent setpoints
After the test, we set back the RF quadrants setpoints to 0, and the setpont the end mirror quadrand to -0.1 vertical and +0.45 horizontal. Then, we tuned the INJ_IMC_SET in order to minimize the coupling with PMC.
Safety (Laser Safety)galimberti - 14:39 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69393)
Print this reportNI Tower permit to work: closeThe NI tower is now close and pumping. The permit to work is now close, lasers are allowed in the NI tower.
Safety (Laser Safety)Vacuum - 14:32 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69392)
Print this reportNI tower closingAccess flange to the NI tower is now closed. The pumping process is started.
Safety (General safety)zaza - 14:02 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69391)
Print this reportNI and WI operations
Afternoon operations:
NI tower: final cleaning, wafer positioning, flange closing (Francescon, Gargiulo, Menzione)
WI tower: payload integration (Benedetti, Majorana, Menzione, Zaza)
AdV-PAY (NI and WI Payloads)benedetti, majorana, pinto, ruggi - 14:01 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69389)
Print this reportNI payload balancing and first contact peelingToday we finalized the NI payload installation. After the FC peeling off we checked the mirror pre-aligned reference, and the marionette resulted roughly 3.4 mrad misaligned in pitch WRT the mirror.
The balance operation was not too easy, but the overall time spent was roughly similar to the usual one. Indeed, probably due to the damage on one of the ears occurred during fiber breaking in clean room. The problem was evident during the final assembly of the overall payload. Once the marionette was left lumped to its suspension wire, a large roll (and to some extent also pitch) appeared, then into the tower the effect was compensated using the counterweights on the marionette.
The motor cables position was optimized (pict)
However, in the end everything was managed and fixed.
- we should xcheck why the oplev was impinging too low on the reflector under the marionette. The verticla position of the suspension and its offset in the E direction will be finally reset and the oplev readjusted, also accounting for the misalignemnt MIR/MAR. This will be done later on.
- Vacuum operations can start.
Images attached to this report
Safety (General safety)majorana - 12:23 Tuesday 21 July 2026 (69388)
Print this reportLeaving NI vacuum chamber and the payload to their destiny Majorana (in the vacuum chamber), Benedetti, zaza, all out of the clean area
