Sub-femto-g free fall for space-based gravitational wave observatories: LISA pathfinder results

Armano, M. et al. (2016) Sub-femto-g free fall for space-based gravitational wave observatories: LISA pathfinder results. Physical Review Letters, 116(23), 231101. (doi: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.116.231101)

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Abstract

We report the first results of the LISA Pathfinder in-flight experiment. The results demonstrate that two free-falling reference test masses, such as those needed for a space-based gravitational wave observatory like LISA, can be put in free fall with a relative acceleration noise with a square root of the power spectral density of 5.2 ± 0.1 fm s−2/√Hz or (0.54 ± 0.01) × 10−15 g/√Hz, with g the standard gravity, for frequencies between 0.7 and 20 mHz. This value is lower than the LISA Pathfinder requirement by more than a factor 5 and within a factor 1.25 of the requirement for the LISA mission, and is compatible with Brownian noise from viscous damping due to the residual gas surrounding the test masses. Above 60 mHz the acceleration noise is dominated by interferometer displacement readout noise at a level of (34.8 ± 0.3) fm/√Hz, about 2 orders of magnitude better than requirements. At f ≤ 0.5 mHz we observe a low-frequency tail that stays below 12 fm s−2/√Hz down to 0.1 mHz. This performance would allow for a space-based gravitational wave observatory with a sensitivity close to what was originally foreseen for LISA.

Item Type:Articles
Status:Published
Refereed:Yes
Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID:Robertson, Dr David and Ward, Professor Henry and Perreur-Lloyd, Mr Michael and Killow, Dr Christian
Authors: Armano, M., Audley, H., Auger, G., Baird, J.T., Bassan, M., Binetruy, P., Born, M., Bortoluzzi, D., Brandt, N., Caleno, M., Carbone, L., Cavalleri, A., Cesarini, A., Ciani, G., Congedo, G., Cruise, A.M., Danzmann, K., de Deus Silva, M., De Rosa, R., Diaz-Aguiló, M., Di Fiore, L., Diepholz, I., Dixon, G., Dolesi, R., Dunbar, N., Ferraioli, L., Ferroni, V., Fichter, W., Fitzsimons, E.D., Flatscher, R., Freschi, M., García Marín, A.F., García Marirrodriga, C., Gerndt, R., Gesa, L., Gibert, F., Giardini, D., Giusteri, R., Guzmán, F., Grado, A., Grimani, C., Grynagier, A., Grzymisch, J., Harrison, I., Heinzel, G., Hewitson, M., Hollington, D., Hoyland, D., Hueller, M., Inchauspé, H., Jennrich, O., Jetzer, P., Johann, U., Johlander, B., Karnesis, N., Kaune, B., Korsakova, N., Killow, C.J., Lobo, J.A., Lloro, I., Liu, L., López-Zaragoza, J.P., Maarschalkerweerd, R., Mance, D., Martín, V., Martin-Polo, L., Martino, J., Martin-Porqueras, F., Madden, S., Mateos, I., McNamara, P.W., Mendes, J., Mendes, L., Monsky, A., Nicolodi, D., Nofrarias, M., Paczkowski, S., Perreur-Lloyd, M., Petiteau, A., Pivato, P., Plagnol, E., Prat, P., Ragnit, U., Raïs, B., Ramos-Castro, J., Reiche, J., Robertson, D.I., Rozemeijer, H., Rivas, F., Russano, G., Sanjuán, J., Sarra, P., Schleicher, A., Shaul, D., Slutsky, J., Sopuerta, C.F., Stanga, R., Steier, F., Sumner, T., Texier, D., Thorpe, J. I., Trenkel, C., Tröbs, M., Tu, H.B., Vetrugno, D., Vitale, S., Wand, V., Wanner, G., Ward, H., Warren, C., Wass, P. J., Wealthy, D., Weber, W.J., Wissel, L., Wittchen, A., Zambotti, A., Zanoni, C., Ziegler, T., and Zweifel, P.
College/School:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy
Research Centre:College of Science and Engineering > School of Physics and Astronomy > Institute for Gravitational Research
Journal Name:Physical Review Letters
Journal Abbr.:Phys. Rev. Lett.
Publisher:American Physical Society
ISSN:0031-9007
ISSN (Online):1079-7114
Copyright Holders:Copyright © 2016 The Authors
First Published:First published in Physical Review Letters 116(23): 231101
Publisher Policy:Reproduced under a Creative Commons License

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