We spent most of the shift re-tuning the gains for the loops, which for some reason were changed with respect to the previous locking shift.
Bas has tested a new online monitor to better tune the demodulation phase. More details about it will be posted in a dedicated entry tomorrow.
Here is some more detail about the shift:
- At the beginning we had problem holding the lock when engaging the SSFS, and we succeded having a stable situation by decreasing the SSFS gains in the CARM_DARM init file as suggested in 36140. The currenty starting gains are: b4_gain = 25, dsp_gain = 7.0. It happened again (as reported in 36132) that after an unlock the SSFS_B4_Corr_DSP signal didn't go to 0, and as suggested by Alain we had to reset and reload the SSFS_Ctrl process.
- Initially the MICH loop didn't hold the lock, maybe because of the windy day, so we decided to remove the boost and the situation was improved.
- Since the z position of the mode cleaner drifts pretty quickly, we performed FModErr every time that the drift was greater than 2 mm. After each FModErr it seems that the SSFS error signal is cleaner and less glitchy. However the glitches come up again as soon as we lock PRCL.
- In order to cure this SSFS oscillations, we tried to tweak the loop gains. However, since there are two loop gains to be changed (one for the low frequency and one for the high frequency filter) it's not straightforward to find the right ratio between the two, which doesn't seem to be constant. Looking at the transfer function of the CARM error signal can give an indication about the range of the crossover between the two loops, but it's not immediate to tweak the gain online with this method. If we are not mistaken, in the SSFS control process there are only the low frequency RTPC filters, so it's difficult to make a full loop model and reconstruct the loop itself
- Due to the instabilities, we could not go further than half fringe tonight with PRITF.
At the end of the shift the NE controls opened because of the strong wind, but Lucia managed to close them back.
We leave the ITF in Recombined state for the night.