Type of contract
Traineeship contract for a period of 4-6 months within the Noise & Controls group in the Interferometer Technology Department, funded by the EGO Consortium.
Description
The European Gravitational Observatory (EGO) hosts and manages the Virgo gravitational wave detector. The commissioning phase of Virgo just started after major upgrades which will increase the design observation range of the new detector (the so-called Advanced Virgo plus detector – AdV+) to 100 Mpc. During the commissioning phase, technical noises that – in addition to the fundamental noises – degrade the detector sensitivity, are studied and mitigated. One important subject of investigation is the noise produced by electro-mechanical devices that are part of the laboratory infrastructure, such as air conditioning systems and vacuum equipments. These devices are very close to the interferometer and both their vibration (i.e. seismic and acoustic) and electromagnetic noise emissions can affect the sensitivity performance of an extremely sensitive device like AdV+. Generally speaking, vibration noise can reach surfaces exposed to laser stray beams thus recoupling phase noise into the interferometer. Magnetic fields couple to permanent magnets used as actuators for controlling the mirror test masses and their suspension chain, or permanent magnets which are embedded in devices (e.g. Faraday isolators) carried by the input and output optical benches.
Assignment
The study of these sources proceeds through some steps. First, noise of the source is characterized by measuring its propagation through arrays of environmental sensors. Then, the coupling of the noise to the interferometer is measured by “injecting” controlled vibration or magnetic fields in the detector environment. The final step consists in designing, implementing and validating mitigation solutions of the source or of the coupling path, also with the assistance of FEM simulation models.
Current hot topics of investigation are:
(1) acoustic and seismic noise produced by the Virgo laboratory facilities (air fans, pumps, compressors);
(2) ambient magnetic fields coupling to the Virgo input and output optical benches.
We are looking for a motivated student to collaborate with the EGO Environmental group and the EGO Optics group on the various steps of these noise studies.
The chosen candidate will operate in a scientifically stimulating context, and interact with scientists of the Virgo collaboration.
He/she will use several scientific laboratory instrumentation, learn about several experimental and analysis techniques, develop his/her own software analysis codes (matlab or python) and also use/modify specific diagnostic and noise analysis tools developed within the Virgo Collaboration.
Requirements
The candidate should be a Master-level student in Physics or Engineering, capacity to collaborate efficiently with colleagues from different countries and a good sense of team spirit, good knowledge of English, European citizenship, no criminal convictions.
Skills which constitutes a preferential qualification are:
- knowledge or competence in one or more of these programming languages: python, matlab, Unix shell scripting
- knowledge or competence in the use of finite element simulation software
Place of work
EGO – European Gravitational Observatory – Via Edoardo Amaldi cap 56021 Loc. Santo Stefano a Macerata – Cascina (Pisa) Italy. Given the lack of public transport to reach EGO, a driving license and a personal vehicle are strongly recommended.
Further information
For the whole duration of the traineeship, EGO will pay a gross monthly wage of 500,00 euro and offer the lunch service at its canteen during working days to the student.
How to apply
Interested candidates are invited to fill in the Internship Application Form and send it, together with the CV, to internships@ego-gw.it
Privacy policy
Controller: European Gravitational Observatory – email: ego-gw@pec.it
Responsible for data – email: privacy@ego-gw.it
Under Article 13 of UE Regulation (EU) 2016/79 of the European Parliament and of the Council, required personal data will be exclusively collected and treated for purposes strictly connected to the selection procedure also with the use of computerized procedures, according to current law and regulations concerning the implementation of this kind of activity.
Providing such data to EGO is necessary for the evaluation of participation requirements and of the holding of titles: failure to provide these data may compromise such evaluation.
Data will be kept only for the period required by the selection, evaluation and audit procedures.
EGO guarantees each person the right of access to personal data, as well as the rectification, or erasure or restriction of them, as well as the right to object to their processing; such requests shall be addressed to privacy@ego-gw.it
Closing date for applications
Until position is filled
Contact
Irene Fiori, PhD
Email: irene.fiori@ego-gw.it
Phone: +39 050 752355