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Hello!

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Ajit KembhaviDirector

IUCAA, Pune

LIGO-India: Plans & Prospects

A Presentation on Behalf of IndIGO October 22, 2011

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The Project

Install an Advanced LIGO Detector in India in collaboration with the LIGO Project.

Use it to detect gravitational waves.

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Agenda

• Indian Legacy in Gravitational Wave Research • Plans to Escalate the Research In India - IndIGO• LIGO-India – The Project• LIGO-India in the Context of Large Indian Projects• Participation by Major Institutions• The Funding Situation• Leadership, Management, Human Resources

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The Legacy

• 20+ years of work in source modelling, gravitational wave data analysis algorithms and related areas (Dhurandhar, Iyer, Sathyaprakash…).

• A number of highly productive collaborations have been established with GW groups in Australia, France, Germany, Japan, UK and USA, mainly through bilateral programmes.

• Students and postdocs from the programme are now on the faculty in various countries.

• IUCAA (Dhurandhar) has been a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC) for a decade.

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IndIGO

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The IndIGO Consortium

Consolidate GW activity in India.

Reorient to data analysis and experiment.

Initiate robust international collaborations.

Initiate a major experimental project.

International Advisory Committee

National Steering Committee

Programme Management Committee

Indian Initiative for Gravitational-wave Observations

2009

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Multi-Institutional,Multi-Institutional,Multi-disciplinary Multi-disciplinary ConsortiumConsortium

1. CMI, Chennai2. Delhi University3. IISER, Kolkata4. IISER, TVM5. IISER, Pune6. IIT Madras (EE)7. IIT Kanpur (EE)8. IUCAA, Pune9. RRCAT, Indore10. TIFR, Mumbai11. IPR, Ahmedabad

Several other institutes and departments

Nodal InstitutionsNodal Institutions

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IndIGO Events

• Aug 2009: The IndIGO consortium is formed. Members participate in various international meetings, forging alliances and collaborations over the next two years.

• Mar 2011: A proposal to participate in LIGO-Australia as a partner at the ~15% level is developed.

• May 2011: The possibility to have an Advanced-LIGO detector in India emerges.

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• Jul 2011: IndIGO accepted as a member of the Gravitational Wave International Committee (GWIC).

• Jul 2011: Indo-US centre for Gravitational Physics and Astronomy established at IUCAA with funding from Indo-US Science and Technology Forum (IUSSTF).

• Sep 2011: IndIGO accepted as a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration including experimental aspects and participation in A-LIGO.

IndIGO Events

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Indo-US Centre for Gravitational Physics and Astronomy

• Centre of Indo-US Science and Technology Forum • Approved December 2010, Funded July 2011 • Exchange program to fund mutual visits and facilitate interactions leading to collaborations• Nodal centres: IUCAA & Caltech• PI: Tarun Sourdeep (India), Rana Adhikari (USA)• Institutions: IUCAA, TIFR, IISER-K-Tvm, Delhi University, CMI; Caltech, WSU

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Experiment & Data Analysis Initiatives by IndIGO Members

• Sep 2010: Unnikrishnan of TIFR obtained a grant from TIFR for building a 3m GW Detector prototype.

• Mar 2012: IUCAA will obtain an HPC system with mass storage which can be used for GW data analysis.

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• Design and development of a 1W sub-khz line width laser for use in a high-resolution length calibrating interferometer and as technology demonstrator.

• Development of fabrication techniques such as ion beam figuring for fabricating ultraflat optics for the interferometer.

• Development of Metrology techniques for measuring ultra-flat optics.

• Testing of developed components on the 3m prototype.

Planned Experimental Work at RRCAT

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LIGO-India

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The LIGO-India Project

Obtain acceptance from LIGO and the NSF; Prepare a detailed project report; Get the project accepted by the Government of India and obtain funds; Select land and obtain possession; Create the scientific, technical and administrative infrastructure; Develop human resources; Import the detector; Construct the arms; Finish installation; Develop data and computing center; Observe; Analyse; Detect gravitational waves; Keep going.

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• Frontline science experiment with the potential for making key discoveries.

• An Advanced LIGO detector would in India, providing immense visibility and inspiration.

• India will be part of an international collaboration and will benefit from the immense talent and experience of the US partners.

• The cost and risks will be shared.

Why is LIGO-India Such an Attractive Project?

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• The US hardware contribution is funded and ready.

• The US will provide expertise and designs for the for the Indian hardware contribution.

• Indian funds would be mostly spent in India.

Why is LIGO-India Such an Attractive Project?

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• Indian academia and industry would be working together on the project.

• The project provides a high-technology opportunity to showcase the abilities of Indian institutions and industry.

• The project will lead to significant human resources development in academic, scientific, technical and industrial spheres.

Why is LIGO-India Such an Attractive Project?

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Some Major Projects in India or With Significant Indian Contribution

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Large Hadron Collider (LHC)

India has a protocol with CERN for collaboration on the LHC and has contributed to:

• A variety of hardware subsystems, skilled personnel for magnetic tests and measurements and help in commissioning subsystems.

• Building of the CMS and ALICE detectors and their installation, analysis software and simulation studies.

• LHC grid computing.

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ITER-INDIA

India is a contributing partner in the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor which is a step towards future production of electricity from fusion energy.

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India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO)

•The INO is a multi-institutional effort aimed at building an underground laboratory with a rock cover of ~1200m for non-accelerator high energy and nuclear physics. •The project includes construction of an Iron Calorimeter detector for studying neutrinos, consisting of 50,000 tons of magnetized iron plates arranged in stacks with gaps in between where Resistive Plate Chambers would be inserted as active detectors.

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Thirty Metre Telescope (TMT)

•India has expressed strong interest to join the TMT project, and has obtained observer status on the TMT board. •A DPR has been submitted to the Department of Science and Technology, with the Directors of IUCAA, IIA and Aries as the PIs.•The DST has provided funds to develop work packages for developing hardware and software prototypes.•India is actively participating in the science and instrumentation definition and development processes.

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Possible Sites for LIGO India

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• Low seismicity• Low human generated noise• Good air connectivity• Proximity to Academic institutions, laboratories, industry desired

Sites could be available in Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh…Very positive response received from Karnataka Government for land near Bangalore.

Possible Sites for LIGO-India

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Project Proposal and Funding

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The Route to Funding

IndIGO/IUCAA DST & DAE

Planning Commission

Steering Committee

for Mega Projects

5 Year Plans

DST & DAE

Planning Commission

Steering Committee

for Mega Projects

Proposal

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Steps Towards Project Recognition

• June 2011: Letter from LIGO labs to Member , Planning Commission, Dr. K. Kasturirangan.

• June 2011: Presentation by IndIGO to Dr. K. Kasturirangan (Bala Iyer, Tarun Sourdeep).

• August 2011: LIGO project outline presented to Mega Projects & Global Alliances Working Group of the Planning Commission.

There are indications the LIGO-India Project will be a Mega-Project favoured by the Planning Commission. Some indication is expected in the first quarter of 2012.

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Steps Towards Project Funding

• Submit a detailed project proposal (DPR).• This may involve technical reports for

construction etc. prepared by a consultancy hired for the purpose.

• Defend the project, and persuade various agencies about the importance and feasibility of the project.

• Obtain funding by end of 2012.

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Governance, Management & Human Resources

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Governance and Management

Nodal Institute

Executive Council

LIGO-India Centre

Project Director, Project -Scientist, -Engineer,

-Manager

DST

DAE

Partner Institutions

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Human Resources

• The Project –Director, -Engineer and –Manager would be appointed for fixed terms. They could come from one of the partner institutes, or from the outside.

• On the research side partner institutes would have faculty or research staff dedicated to LIGO-India.

• Partner institutes could transfer some scientific and technical staff to the LIGO-India Centre for some years.

• Faculty and others from LIGO could have visiting appointments with LIGO-India or partner institutions.

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Human Resources

• The grant would have provision to make project appointments at various levels.

• Postdocs and research students would be appointed on the project, or be seconded from other institutions.

• At all levels, training would be needed, and would be provided through visits to the LIGO labs in the USA, and by visiting faculty and other experts.

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Partnership With Industry

LIGOUSA

LIGOIndia

IndianIndustry

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Thank You!