Markus Otto

Research interests

Time-Delay Interferometry and Clock noise removal schemes for a flexing LISA constellation:

Laser phase noise is the dominant noise source in the on-board measurements of the space-based gravitational wave detector LISA. There is a need for cancellation schemes that reduce laser phase noise by eight orders of magnitude. A technique called Time-Delay Interferometry (TDI) provides synthesized data streams free of laser phase noise while preserving the gravitational wave signal. At the same time TDI also removes fluctuations of the on-board clocks that distort the sampling process. TDI needs precise information about the spacecraft separations, sampling times and differential clock noise between the three spacecraft. These are measured using auxiliary modulations on the laser light.

My work focusses on the developement of algorithms including TDI that remove the main noise sources (in particular, laser phase noise, clock noise and optical bench motion onboard the satellites). Therefore, analytical calculations as well as MATLAB-based simulations are performed to test the developed algorithms.

Beside scientific work, I coordinate the exercises in the experimental lectures Physics I and II (Mechanics, Relativity, Electrodynamics) and hold parts of the Gravitational Physics lecture at the institute.

Contact

Markus Otto
Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics
Callinstr. 38
30167 Hannover

email: firstname.lastname@aei.mpg.de

phone: +49 511 762 - 17002
office: C006