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Advanced charge control dynamics simulation for the LISA gravitational reference sensor
Kenyon, Samantha Parry; Apple, Stephen; Siu, John +2 more
A gravitational wave detector in space, the Laser Interferometer Space Antenna (LISA) will be able to detect gravitational waves in the frequency range of 0.1 mHz–1 Hz, adding to humanity's knowledge of the dark cosmos. The LISA gravitational reference sensor contains a test mass (TM) and is used to determine the local inertial reference frame and…
Estimate of force noise from electrostatic patch potentials in LISA Pathfinder
Ferroni, V.; Sala, L.; Vitale, S. +1 more
This paper discusses force noise in LISA and LISA Pathfinder arising from the interaction of patch potentials on the test mass and surrounding electrode housing surfaces with their own temporal fluctuations. We aim to estimate the contribution of this phenomenon to the force noise detected in LISA Pathfinder in excess of the background from Browni…
Residual gas damping noise in constrained volume in space-borne gravitational wave detection
Luo, Jie; Tan, Yu-Jie; Shao, Cheng-Gang +4 more
The residual gas damping in the enclosure surrounding a free-fall test mass is an important limiting factor for the sensitivity of some space detection missions. We present a constrained volume damping model for space-borne gravitational wave detection, which depends on the escape time needed for a molecule to diffuse out of the gap between two ad…
Low-energy electromagnetic processes affecting free-falling test-mass charging for LISA and future space interferometers
Grimani, Catia; Villani, Mattia; Fabi, Michele +1 more
Galactic cosmic rays and solar energetic particles charge gold-platinum, free-falling test masses (TMs) on board interferometers for the detection of gravitational waves in space. The charging process induces spurious forces on the test masses that affect the sensitivity of these instruments mainly below 10-3 Hz. Geant4 and FLUKA Monte …
Charge induced acceleration noise in the LISA gravitational reference sensor
Sumner, Timothy J.; Wass, Peter J.; Conklin, John W. +2 more
The presence of free charge on isolated proof-masses, such as those within space-borne gravitational reference sensors, causes a number of spurious forces which will give rise to associated acceleration noise. A complete discusssion of each charge induced force and its linear acceleration noise is presented. The resulting charge acceleration noise…
Measuring fN force variations in the presence of constant nN forces: a torsion pendulum ground test of the LISA Pathfinder free-fall mode
Russano, G.; Cavalleri, A.; Cesarini, A. +11 more
LISA Pathfinder is a differential accelerometer with the main goal being to demonstrate the near perfect free-fall of reference test masses, as is needed for an orbiting gravitational wave observatory, with a target sensitivity of 30 fm s-2 Hz-1/2 at 1 mHz. Any lasting background differential acceleration between the two test…
Constraints on LISA Pathfinder’s self-gravity: design requirements, estimates and testing procedures
Mendes, L.; Madden, S.; Russano, G. +96 more
LISA Pathfinder satellite was launched on 3 December 2015 toward the Sun-Earth first Lagrangian point (L1) where the LISA Technology Package (LTP), which is the main science payload, will be tested. LTP achieves measurements of differential acceleration of free-falling test masses (TMs) with sensitivity below 3× {10}-14 {{m}} {{{s}}}