LHO Fellows Program – Four months at Hanford
Four Months In
I’m four months into my six-month fellowship at LIGO Hanford, which means I have only two months left! Time seems to be accelerated here. The days are busy, the weeks are flying by, and somehow there is always something new to see, learn, or work on.
Over the past two months, I’ve gotten to explore more of the Laser Interferometer Vacuum Equipment Area (LVEA), spend time in different parts of the observatory, and see more of the Tri-Cities. I’ve also kept digging into my research project while getting a closer look at what commissioning the detector looks like day to day ahead of the upcoming observing run.
One of the coolest experiences of these past two months was watching Cosmic Coda and getting to talk with its filmmaker, MJ Doherty, before and after the screening. The documentary started as a student film in 1985, when MJ filmed the late Rai Weiss, one of the founders of LIGO, and his lab at MIT. She set the project down for about three decades, then picked it back up to follow the detection of gravitational waves as it unfolded.
What stayed with me was seeing people I look up to on screen, in the same place where I now get to work. Some of the people in the film are the people I work alongside, and I sit in the same chairs the scientists I admire have sat in while these discoveries were made. It got to me more than I expected, and it made me feel very lucky to be here. Talking with MJ before and after the screening was a highlight, too. I’m grateful to have artists like her telling the story of this science, and the people behind it.
Keep reading for more updates!
Back Inside the LVEA
I’ve had more opportunities to visit the LVEA over the past couple of months, although the experience has changed quite a bit since my earlier visits. The Horizontal Access Modules (HAMs) are now bolted up, and the corner station has been pumped down to vacuum. With the equipment closed up and the detector being brought back toward its nominal low-noise observing state, the environment inside the LVEA has physically been much quieter.
Quiet doesn’t mean nothing is happening. Getting LIGO ready for observing takes a lot more than assembling hardware and installing upgrades, and commissioning means tracking down noise sources, checking systems, and working through whatever problems pop up along the way.
Of course, there is still plenty to look at during a visit!
Speaking of the bat hazard sign, it seems a bat decided to join in on the fun as we head into autumn and spooky season! One apparently made its way into the room leading into the LVEA and nearly got loose in the area. It hasn’t been spotted in a few weeks, so we’re hoping it found its way out on its own. In the meantime, I’ve learned where the emergency bat net is, just in case our little visitor makes another appearance.
Back in the Control Room
If the LVEA has been quieter, the control room is where commissioning becomes visible. It’s unpredictable: new side quests and questions can pop up any day, and priorities shift as the team learns more about how the instrument is behaving. One of my side quests was looking at different optical channels from O4, before the IR1 upgrades, and comparing them to the same channels now that the upgrade is in. It’s a fun way to see what changed in the detector.
Not every day goes according to plan, though. I was in the control room during the recent 6.7 magnitude earthquake in Panama when we went into earthquake mode, which meant the commissioners couldn’t do any more locking work for the rest of the day. Watching a whole day’s plan change like that was a good reminder that the detector is sensitive to the whole planet, not just its own site.
Up on the Roof
One of the perks of physically being at LIGO Hanford in person is appreciating just how large the observatory is. The two interferometer arms extend four kilometers each, and seeing them stretch into the distance puts the scale of the instrument into perspective.
The rooftop of the LIGO Support Building (LSB) offers a particularly good vantage point. Looking down the X-arm, you can follow the path of the beam tube as it extends away from the corner station. It’s a very different view from what you get inside the LVEA, where the focus is on the equipment and infrastructure that make the detector work. It’s also a good opportunity to take a break, enjoy the view, and get a few photos with the people who make working here fun.
I try not to get used to seeing the observatory every day, and moments like these are a good reminder of how unusual this place is.
Outside of Work
Of course, the fellowship isn’t all detector commissioning and research. Since August, my free time has been filled with social events, outings, and opportunities to explore more of the Tri-Cities with the other fellows.
One highlight was going to a Tri-Cities Americans hockey game. It was a fun way to spend an evening together and experience something new in the area. We also visited Marc Pirello’s house for some Guitar Hero, which turned into another memorable group activity. We love to visit the Waterfowl Habitat, where we spend time watching the geese and ducks.
Having other fellows to explore with has made the Tri-Cities way more enjoyable than I expected.
Fall Fest at Goose Ridge Winery
Another outing took us to Fall Fest at Goose Ridge Winery. With autumn arriving, it was a nice reason to enjoy some of the last warm days, enjoy the seasonal decorations, and take in the vineyard scenery. Between the hay, the fall-themed activities, and the views across the vineyard, there were plenty of opportunities for photos.
It’s been nice watching the area change with the seasons, especially the leaves. I haven’t been around trees like this since undergrad in the northeast.
A Petting Zoo
One of my favorite photo collections from the past couple of months came from a visit to A Bit of Happiness Farm. There were sunflowers, a cow, a ram, sheep, and a funny looking turkey.
Labor Day Weekend Back Home
Even though I’ve enjoyed exploring Washington, I also got the chance to head back home to Las Vegas for Labor Day weekend. It was great to catch up with a bunch of my friends and spend time back home. Having the chance to go home for a weekend was a good reminder that this experience is about more than the work itself.
It was a nice reset to see friends, and it made me appreciate building a routine here even more.
Two months to go!
And just like that, I’m four months into the fellowship, with only two months left to go!
These past couple of months have been a mix of getting a closer look at the detector during commissioning, continuing to work on my research, and exploring more of the Tri-Cities with the other fellows. There is still plenty to do before the fellowship wraps up, both at work and outside of it. I’m looking forward to making the most of these last two months, continuing to learn from the people here, and seeing what else I can fit into the experience.
Check back soon for my final fellowship updates!
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