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Abstract

A Thermal Compensation System for the Gravitational Wave Detector Virgo.

Thermal effects in core optics of gravitational wave interferometers can represent a strong limitation to their operation and sensitivity. These effects have already been observed in the present detectors and will become more relevant in the ongoing and future upgraded interferometers, due to the much higher circulating power. A system for mitigating thermal effects has been installed in Virgo. It is made of two CO2 lasers that heat the peripheral of the input mirrors with an annulus-shaped pattern. We will present the Virgo thermal compensation system (TCS) and we will analyze the results obtained during the commissioning of the interferometer when the TCS is operated. TCS can introduce displacement noise by means of several mechanisms. It is then necessary to reduce TCS noise at a level compliant with Virgo specifications. The noise depends on the laser intensity noise and on the power needed to compensate thermal lensing. The results of the measurements on the intensity stabilization are reported.

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