IAP 2016 Activities by Sponsor - Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research

Zach Berta-Thompson, Torres Postdoctoral Fellow, MKI, Michael Person, Research Scientist, EAPS

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: none

Join us for daytime stargazing! We will have solar telescopes set up so you can safely observe our closest star, the Sun. Swing on by for a quick look, and feel free to stay and chat with MIT astronomers over cups of cocoa.

This activity is being co-sponsored with EAPS.

weather permitting

A complete listing of all IAP activities being offered by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research is available here.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

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(Canceled) (Safely) Observe the Sun

Jan/19

Tue

01:00PM-03:00PM

North Court

First of three solar observing days -- weather permitting.

Zach Berta-Thompson - Torres Postdoctoral Fellow, MKI, Michael Person - Research Scientist, EAPS

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(Safely) Observe the Sun

Jan/22

Fri

12:00PM-02:00PM

Student Center

Second day of solar observing -- weather permitting.  Look for us on the upper plaza area outside of the Student Center.

Zach Berta-Thompson - Torres Postdoctoral Fellow, MKI, Michael Person - Research Scientist, EAPS

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(Safely) Observe the Sun

Jan/27

Wed

12:00PM-02:00PM

North Court

Final day of solar observing -- weather permitting.

Zach Berta-Thompson - Torres Postdoctoral Fellow, MKI, Michael Person - Research Scientist, EAPS

Dr. George Ricker, Senior Research Scientist

Jan/19

Tue

02:00PM-02:45PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

Dr. George Ricker, Senior Research Scientist and Director of the Detector Laboratory, MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, will describe the development program at MIT that led to the successful proposal for TESS (The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite).  A long-term goal of TESS and follow-on missions is to find Earth-like planets that are the right distance from their planets' stars to be within the habitable zone where conditions might be suitable for the existence of life.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Lia Corrales, Postdoctoral Associate

Jan/14

Thu

11:00AM-04:00PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Advanced sign up required by 3pm 1/13/2016 by completing google form above
Sign-up by 01/13
Limited to 40 participants
Prereq: C++, python, php, or web design

We've rescheduled the hack day to accommodate for the fact that many people are still returning from vacation.  It will now be Thursday, Jan 14 from 11 am - 4 pm in Marlar Lounge 37-252.

This is the perfect time to work on a small project that you've been meaning to get to, or to learn new coding tools and tricks! 

Nothing says "hacking" like throwing together a last minute group coding session!  Inspired by the American Astronomical Society (AAS) Hack Day, taking place as part of their annual winter meeting, Code Coffee will host a hack day at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research.  What is a hack day, you ask? It's about getting together to write code or work on some other project, *fast*.  It could be for science or just for fun!  You don't need to bring an idea to participate, and a range of expertise is appreciated (be it C++, python, php, or web design).  So grab a friend and come to Marlar for some snacks and coding!

Maximum: 40 people

To attend, please sign up (by 3pm Jan 13) using the Google form

(https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1lEZ6wh82_3Ln5inDOxB1cks1fl6vDs9wBSoTP0Xdx5U/viewform)

For more about the AAS Hack Day session (http://astrobetter.com/wiki/AASHackDay)

Some examples of hacks:
http://dotastronomy.com/blog/2014/12/astro-6-live-blog-day-3/
https://arxiver.wordpress.com/

 

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Rana Ezzeddine, Postdoctoral Associate

Jan/20

Wed

02:30PM-03:00PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

Determination of high precision abundances is an important goal of all spectroscopic studies. Accurate modelling of stellar spectra is therefore essential to determine these abundances and stellar parameters. I will explain in this talk the non-Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (non-LTE) approach to modelling stellar spectra of cool stars, highlighting the important role that Hydrogen collisions play.

 

View a complete listing of MKI's IAP 2016 offerings here.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Michael Nowak, Research Scientist

Jan/26

Tue

02:00PM-02:30PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: attend 2pm talk to take two tours that follow

In the summer of 1999, NASA launched the third of its great observatories--the Chandra X-ray telescope. Like the Hubble Space telescope which preceded it, Chandra is designed to have an unprecedented ability to create images and spectra of astrophysical objects, except working with high energy X-rays instead of optical light. This means that Chandra views some of the universe's most exotic and energetic phenomena: supernovae, neutron stars, black holes, jets traveling at nearly the speed of light emanating from near the center of clusters of galaxies. In this talk, we'll take a tour of the discoveries made by the Chandra X-ray telescope, starting with studies of our own solar system, moving outward to nearby stars, to the center of our own Galaxy where a black hole 40 millions times the mass of our Sun lurks, to distant clusters of Galaxies where the most massive black holes, billions of times the mass of our Sun, reside.

Two tours will follow this talk.  See separate listing for each tour and visit the MKI website for complete details.

Tour #1: Operations Control Center, Chandra X-ray Observatory (Dr. Schulz, 2:45 - 3:30pm; Tour departs 37-252 @ 2:30pm). Signup deadline: 12noon Thurs, Jan 21.  Email meinbres@mit.edu your first & last name (as it appears on your ID) & the country of your citizenship.

Tour #2: Tour of the X-ray Polarimetry Lab (Drs. Schulz and Marshall, 3:45 - 4:15pm)

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Morrisa Brenner, Dr. Herman Marshall

Jan/14

Thu

02:30PM-04:00PM

Meet at 2 in 33-419, or 2:25 at 1 Hampshire St, North Lobby, Cambridge

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/10
Prereq: None

Come explore the NASA Chandra Observatory. See the Operations and Control Center, an affiliated laboratory, and learn about the science behind the telescope. Chandra is an X-ray telescope used by astrophysicists around the world to observe diverse objects such as black holes, pulsars, star forming regions, and planets using the best imaging optics currently available. The active research laboratory was originally used to test and verify performance of parts for Chandra but was recently adapted for research in X-ray polarimetry.

Advance sign-up required by Jan 10 by emailing hands-on-aerospace@mit.edu with name and nationality. This information must be submitted to the observatory in advance and is a requirement for admission to the tour.

[This activity is part of the Hands-On Aerospace series sponsored by Aero/Astro running Jan 11-15. Participants welcome at individual sessions, priority may be given to registered 16.680 class members and undergraduates. See Hands-On Aerospace listing for full schedule.]

Sponsor(s): Aeronautics and Astronautics, Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Morrisa Brenner, hands-on-aerospace@mit.edu

Dr. Ralf Heilmann, Principal Research Scientist, MIT Kavli Institute

Jan/05

Tue

02:30PM-03:15PM

37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

The Space Nanotechnology Laboratory (SNL) develops advanced lithography and nano-fabrication technology for high performance space instrumentation, as well as nanometer-accuracy metrology and assembly technology. Two current efforts are the development of nanofabricated soft x-ray gratings, the so-called critical-angle transmission (CAT) gratings, and the development of high-precision focusing X-ray mirrors. CAT gratings require the fabrication of sub-micron structures with extreme geometries and sub-nanometer precision, while x-ray mirrors are formed at 600 deg C while floating on porous air bearings and shaped further using ion implantation. These efforts are aimed at instruments that can help find the missing baryons in the Cosmic Web and reveal the secrets of dark matter.

PLEASE NOTE:  There will be a tour of the Space Nanotechnology Laboratory (SNL) from 3:15-4:15pm.  The pre-requisite for going on the SNL tour is attending this talk.  The tour is limited to SIX people; advance sign-up required starting at 2:25 pm in 37-252.  You must attend this talk to take the tour.

A complete listing of IAP activities being offered by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research will be posted on the MKI website by January 4.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Aaron Ewall-Wice, MKI Graduate Student

Jan/20

Wed

02:00PM-02:30PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

A critical chapter in the Universe’s history, known as the Dark Ages, remains nearly entirely unobserved. During this time period, our universe underwent a dramatic transformation from a relatively uniform mixture of hydrogen, helium, and dark matter filaments, into the luminescent and chemically complex realm of stars and galaxies that we live in today. The time period over which the first luminous sources turned on is known as the cosmic dawn.

In this talk, I will discuss how the observational technique known as 21cm tomography which will allow us to observe the dark ages and the cosmic dawn, allowing for us to learn about the formation and evolution of the first galaxies.

To see all of MKI's IAP 2016 listings, view the website.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Scott Hughes, Professor of Physics

Jan/12

Tue

01:15PM-02:00PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

Advanced LIGO is on the cusp of using gravitational waves as a tool for observing the universe.  What are gravitational waves, and how do we use them to observe the universe?  I will describe how gravitational waves are produced by violent and interesting astronomical events, and why they are especially useful for teaching us about those events.  I will emphasize that these waves are analogous to sound, and will illustrate how we learn from them with some examples of what theory tells us certain interesting example gravitational waves “sound like” to the “ears” of a detector like LIGO.
 

Please note: two related activities will follow Professor Hughes' presentation.

Searching for Gravitational Waves with LIGO (Dr. Adam Libson, 2:00 - 2:30pm in 37-252) 
Tour of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) Lab (Dr. Adam Libson, 2:30 - 4:00pm departing from 37-252).

***Note***
10 people maximum for the LIGO Lab tour. You must attend both talks preceding the tour (Scott Hughes' talk at 1:15pm and Adam Libson's talk at 2:00pm). Advance sign-up required for the tour, starting at 1:05pm immediately before Professor Hughes' talk in 37-252. Attendance of talks is required in order to take tour of LIGO lab. Tour will leave from 37-252 at 2:30pm, and last until about 4:00pm.

 

See all of MKI's IAP offerings here

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Maggie Tse, Clare Boothe Luce Graduate Fellow

Jan/27

Wed

01:30PM-02:30PM

NW22-258

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

How do you measure distances smaller than one-thousandth the diameter of a proton? Why do we care? Come find out in this hands-on interactive demo, where you will learn about Michelson interferometery, the basic principle behind how LIGO measures explosions in outer space using giant lasers. Real lasers included!

If you stay with us after 2:30pm, you can apply your new knowledge and operate a real suspended interferometer with Dr. Kontos in the LIGO lab!  (For a description of this activity, see TOUR: Lock a Suspended Interferometer)

Directions to NW22-258: Enter through the loading dock entrance in the parking lot between NW22 and NW17. The door will be propped open for the event. Once inside, follow the signs and take the elevator to the second floor.

 

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Ronald Remillard, Principal Research Scientist

Jan/25

Mon

02:00PM-02:30PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

NASA's Neutron star Interior Composition ExploreR ("NICER"), will be launched to the International Space Station in August 2016. The NICER detector team at the MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics has delivered Si drift detectors and signal processing electronics for the 56 cameras that constitute the Instrument.  The cameras are sensitive to X-ray photons in the range 0.2-12 keV, and each event will be time-tagged with an instrument clock that ticks at 40 ns.  This talk will review the science goals, the instrument technology, and the calibration equipment that allows us to accomplish requirements, including the achievement of timing accuracy to 100 ns in the Solar System barycenter.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Victoria Grinberg, Postdoctoral Associate, MIT Kavli Institute

Jan/21

Thu

02:00PM-02:45PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

Black holes are perhaps the most mind-boggling objects ever conceived by physicists and there is hardly any science fiction series today that will not feature them in some capacity. However, black holes are also very much observable and one of the major topics of today's X-ray astronomy.

In this talk I will give a very short overview of what black holes are, where we find astrophysical black holes, why we need X-ray astronomy and thus satellite-based telescopes such as Chandra to observe black holes, and  how observations of both, supermassive black holes in the centers of galaxies and the "small" black holes of only a few solar masses in binary star systems, improve our understanding of the physics of our universe.

 

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Adam Libson, Postdoctoral Associate

Jan/12

Tue

02:00PM-02:30PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: No enrollment limit, no advance sign up.

Einstein's theory of general relativity predicts the existence of gravitational radiation. Since gravity is a weak force, it takes extreme masses and energies to produce a detectable gravitational wave signature. Indirect evidence for the existence of this radiation has been collected using pulsar measurements. The Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO) is an experiment designed to directly detect this radiation, and use it to study exotic astrophysical phenomena. To do this, LIGO must measure length changes with a precision of 10-19 meters, less than a thousandth of a proton diameter. In this talk, I will briefly discuss gravitational radiation and its sources, and I will also describe the LIGO detectors and the physics involved in their operation. Finally, I will discuss some of the quantum limits on making this type of precision measurement, and the ways in which LIGO hopes to beat these limits.

No enrollment limit, no advance sign up for this talk. 

Please Note: A tour of the Laser Interferometer Gravitational Wave Observatory (LIGO) Lab will follow this talk.  To take the tour (2:45-4:00pm), you must register for the tour and attend both talks preceding the tour. 

See MKI event website and the MKI IAP website for additional information.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Zachory Berta-Thompson, Torres Postdoctoral Fellow

Jan/20

Wed

03:00PM-03:30PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

Astronomers can observe the sizes, orbits, masses, and atmospheres of planet orbiting distant stars, without ever seeing the planets directly. Come learn how we do this and the worlds we hope to discover soon, with the help of the TESS mission, now being built at MIT.

 

Click here to see a complete listing of IAP 2016 activities being offered by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research (MKI).

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Sara Seager, Class of 1941 Professor of Physics and Planetary Science

Jan/19

Tue

02:45PM-03:30PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

Professor Sara Seager will describe how scientists infer the properties of extrasolar planets and their atmospheres from observations, how life may alter the atmospheres to produce observable biosignatures, and the future investigations that will probe for signs of life on other planets.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Norbert Schulz, Research Scientist

Jan/26

Tue

02:30PM-03:30PM

tour departs 37-252

Enrollment: Max 20 people, advance sign-up required by 12noon JAN 21
Sign-up by 01/21
Limited to 20 participants
Prereq: You must attend talk preceding tour: 2-2:30pm in 37-252

The Chandra X-ray Observatory is the world's most powerful X-ray telescope, allowing scientists to study the origin, structure and evolution of our universe in greater detail than ever before. The spacecraft and science instruments are controlled from the Operations Control Center (OCC) in Cambridge, Massachusetts. We will take our visitors on a tour of the OCC and show where scientists and engineers direct the flight and execute the observing plan of Chandra, and where they receive the scientific data from the observatory. during the tour the visitors will learn about the basics of X-ray astronomy and about the latest, exciting discoveries made by MIT scientists with data acquired with Chandra.

Max 20 people, advance sign-up required by 12noon on THURSDAY, JANUARY 21 by submitting full name and country of citizenship to meinbres@mit.edu 

Prerequisites: Attend talk preceding the tour (2-2:30 talk "Exploring the Universe from Near to Far with the Chandra X-ray Observatory" in 37-252).  Tour will depart from 37-252.

Following the tour of the Chandra Observations Control Center, the group will also take a tour of the Tour of the X-ray Polarimetry Lab from 3:45-4:15pm.

For a complete listing of IAP Activites offered by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, please visit our IAP website.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Ralf Heilmann, Associate Director, Space Nanotechnology Laboratory

Jan/05

Tue

03:15PM-04:15PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: tour limited to 6 people who attend talk preceding tour & sign up in person
Sign-up by 01/05
Limited to 6 participants
Prereq: Attendance of talk (2:30-3:15pm) preceding tour

During the tour of the SNL's three clean rooms visitors will see sophisticated optical (interference lithography stations for the fabrication of submicron period gratings, high power UV laser, metrology station for optics shape measurements, sub-nanometer resolution interferometers, etc.) and mechanical systems (XY-air-bearing stage, sub-micron accuracy alignment system, environmental enclosure, active vibration isolation, etc.) that support the development of thin-foil x-ray optics and gratings.

Max 6 people, advance sign-up required starting at 2:25 pm in 37-252.

***PLEASE NOTE***
The prequisite for taking the tour is attending the 2:30-3:15pm talk preceding the tour.

For additional information, please see the MKI website.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Norbert S. Schulz, Research Scientist, Dr. Herman Marshall, Principal Research Scientist

Jan/26

Tue

03:45PM-04:15PM

tour departs 37-252

Enrollment: advance sign-up required by 12noon JAN 21 (email meinbres@mit.edu)
Sign-up by 01/21
Limited to 20 participants
Prereq: attend 2pm talk to take two tours that follow

Tour of MIT’s X-ray Polarimetry Lab, where new X-ray instrumentation is currently being developed.

Prerequisite: Attendance of 2:00-2:30pm talk by Dr. Michael Nowak (Marlar Lounge, 37-252) preceding the tour. Following Dr. Nowak's talk, the group (20 individuals who have signed up in advance) will leave from 37-252 to take 2 tours.  The Chandra's Operation Control Center from 2:45-3:30, followed by the X-ray Polarimetry Lab from 3:45-4:15.

NOTE:  The two tours will take place in building NE-80 and NE-83, which are restricted areas. We will walk over as a group from Building 37, immediately following Dr. Nowak’s talk. Building NE-80 is about an 8 minute walk away, near the Cambridge Brewing Company.  To take the tour, you must sign up by 1/21/2016 (email your full name and country of citizenship to meinbres@mit.edu).  Be sure to bring your ID with you (driver’s license, state issued identification card, or passport) on the day of the event!

Here is a complete listing of MKI's IAP 2016 events

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Adam Libson, Postdoctoral Associate

Jan/12

Tue

02:30PM-04:00PM

tour departs 37-252

Enrollment: Max 10 people, advance sign-up required starting at 1:55 pm in 37-252
Sign-up by 01/12
Limited to 10 participants
Prereq: MUST ATTEND TWO TALKS PRECEDING TOUR

Visitors will be taken on a tour of the LIGO prototyping facilities at MIT. These include a full-scale prototype of the LIGO vacuum chambers, laser, isolation and suspension systems, and laboratories for thermal and optical noise measurements.

Max 10 people, advance sign-up required starting at 1:05 pm in 37-252

Prerequisites: Attendance of talks preceding the tour

Please see all IAP offerings by MIT's Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Antonios Kontos, Postdoctoral Associate

Jan/27

Wed

02:30PM-04:00PM

leaves from NW22-258

Enrollment: tour limited to 6 people who attend talk preceding tour & sign up in person
Sign-up by 01/27
Limited to 6 participants
Prereq: attending 1:30pm talk by Maggie Tse in NW22-258

Work with LIGO scientists to lock a suspended Michelson-style interferometer using real-time automated control systems.

Please note:
6 people max for tour. Advance sign-up required starting at 1:25pm in NW22-258 immediately before Ms. Tse's talk (see activity description for Michelson Interferometer Demonstration). Attendance of Ms. Tse's talk is required of tour participants.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Dr. Herman Marshall, Principal Research Scientist, MIT Kavli Institute

Jan/21

Thu

02:45PM-03:30PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Prereq: none

The stellar binary SS 433 was once featured on Saturday Night Live as the "comin' and a-goin' star". By means that are still somewhat mysterious, the system ejects blobs of plasma in opposite directions at a speed of about a quarter of the speed of light. The compact object that is responsible for providing the impetus for this plasma is probably a black hole about 10 times the mass of the Sun. I show what we've come to understand about the system and its jets such as how their directions trace out twin cones on the sky. X-ray spectroscopy, using the Chandra High Energy Transmission Grating Spectrometer that were built here at MIT, shows that the plasma temperature reaches at least 100 billion degrees and can be used to measure the density and location of the outflows we call jets.

 

 

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU

Fabrice Matichard, Visiting Research Scientist

Jan/07

Thu

09:00AM-12:00PM

Marlar Lounge 37-252

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Sign-up by 01/06
Limited to 16 participants

The presentation will give a general introduction to the problem of vibration isolation.  We'll discuss the following concepts:

- Passive isolation principles
- Static deflection
- Damping
- Transmissibility and compliance
- Multi-staging
- Active isolation principles
- Block diagrams
- Loop shaping
- Absolute versus relative control
- Inertial sensors
- Sensor Noise
- Sensor Fusion
- Noise Budgeting
- Feedforward control

We'll finish the presentation by a review of vibration isolation systems used either in the industry or in physics experiments.

Presentation 9:00-11:00 in Marlar Lounge 37-252.  A tour of the LIGO labs will follow the presentation.  Pre-requisite for taking the LIGO labs tour is attending the presentation.

Requirements: basic knowledge of Laplace/Frequency domain formalism.

Presentation and tour limited to 16 people.  Advanced sign up required by 4pm on January 6.

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics & Space Research
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU