State-space modelling for heater induced thermal effects on LISA Pathfinder's Test Masses

TL;DR

This paper presents a detailed state-space model of thermal effects on LISA Pathfinder's test masses, enabling simulation and analysis of thermal disturbances affecting interferometer measurements.

Contribution

It introduces a comprehensive thermal effects model within the LPF simulation environment and integrates it into the LTPDA toolbox for improved data analysis.

Findings

Successful parametrization of thermal effects like radiation pressure and radiometer effects.

Implementation of thermal experiment simulations in the LTPDA toolbox.

Enhanced capability for thermal disturbance subtraction in interferometer data.

Abstract

The OSE (Offline Simulations Environment) simulator of the LPF (LISA Pathfinder) mission is intended to simulate the different experiments to be carried out in flight. Amongst these, the thermal diagnostics experiments are intended to relate thermal disturbances and interferometer readouts, thereby allowing the subtraction of thermally induced interferences from the interferometer channels. In this paper we report on the modelling of these simulated experiments, including the parametrisation of different thermal effects (radiation pressure effect, radiometer effect) that will appear in the Inertial Sensor environment of the LTP (LISA Technology Package). We report as well how these experiments are going to be implemented in the LTPDA toolbox, which is a dedicated tool for LPF data analysis that will allow full traceability and reproducibility of the analysis thanks to complete recording of the processes.