28 March 2024 - Mission Day: 10345 - DOY: 088
OPERATIONS
 
Science Operations
 
 

FINAL MINUTES FOR SOHO 29 Feb 2008 SPWG MEETING

1. Boundary conditions

a) Orbit, attitude and manoeuvres

- SOHO is in right side up roll position (0 deg) since 22 Feb 2008.

- manoeuvres

  To the degree possible, manoeuvres take place during the last days of
  34-m keyholes.  Currently set manoeuvre dates are:

  Feb 19        station-keeping and momentum management
  Feb 22	roll

  May 19 (TBC)	station-keeping, momentum management, roll



b) Communications with the spacecraft

  Graphical DSN schedule: http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/dsn/

  Keyhole dates for the next 6 months:

* Feb 4-Mar 2   26 m keyhole
* Feb 11-24     34 m keyhole

* May 7-25      26 m keyhole
* May 11-21     34 m keyhole

* Aug 01-30     26m Keyhole 
* Aug 08-22     34m Keyhole

- The need and approach to reduce FOT manpower requirements needed for
  complex operations during the keyhole remains in effect until further 
  notice.

- All available keyhole information is at
  http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyholes.html. Direct link to the list of
  estimated dates for future keyholes is
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyholes.txt.

- DSN D45 and D65 (34-m) antennae status

  - D45 and D65 have been and currently remain downlink/telemetry-only, but
    are in the process of being upgraded with uplink/commanding
    capabilities.

  - The upgrade-to-uplink reviews are postponed, hence the capabilities and
    the timing of the uplink availability of D45 and D65 remain TBD.



c) KNOWN submode (SM) dependent activities/submode changes:

* TOO           JOP153/MMOP003 Future Major Flare Watch (SM5 if SUMER
                observes target, SM6 otherwise)
* Jan 23, 30    EIT shutterless #30 (SM6)
* Apr 9,16      EIT Shutterless #31 (SM6)
* Apr 21-May 8  SUMER Campaign, TBD (SM5)
* Jul 23,30     EIT Shutterless #32 (SM6)

- Some of the default SUMER campaign dates overlap with keyholes - which is
  not a problem in itself (submode 5 will often be needed for keyholes
  anyhow) as long as potential periods of no SUMER data between passes can
  be accepted.

- Except for Major Flare Watches, TRACE will be doing full disk mosaics
  if/when EIT is not able to do synoptic sets due to keyhole operations.

- There is a submode-related timing issue between EIT shutterless 31 (Apr
  9, 16) and SUMER support of Whole Heliospheric Interval (WHI)
  campaign. See also the WHI entry in section 2a.

  EIT would like information on final planning choices for the month of
  April 2008.  Still on EIT's calendar is the Shutterless program scheduled
  for April 9 & 16 2008.  The program can not be pushed to the month of May
  due to keyhole.



d) Instrument maintenance activities

  EIT bakeout periods will be during keyholes.  Dates and times are defined
  when the DSN schedules become available. Current EIT bakeout is Feb
  22-28. EIT will plan for the next bakeout when the May keyhole DSN
  schedule becomes available (see also section 1b above for keyhole dates).

  TRACE has been annealing on the week starting 25 Feb 2008. The annealing
  has been going smoothly and TRACE will start taking science data on
  March 1.



e) Others

  Daylight Saving/Summer Time starts in (most of) the United States on 9
  Mar 2008 at 7 UT. After the change

     GSFC local = UT - 4 h 
                = Central Europe - 5 h
                = UK - 4 h 
                = Japan - 13 h

  TRACE fall/winter eclipse season is 13 Sep 2007 - 13 Mar 2008. Hard
  eclipses started on 23 Sep 2007 and will end on 1 Mar 2008.

  Daylight Saving/Summer Time starts in the European Union on 30 Mar 2008
  at 1 UT. After the change

     GSFC local = UT - 4 h 
                = Central Europe - 6 h
                = UK - 5 h 
                = Japan - 13 h

  TRACE summer eclipse season begins on 10 May 2008.

  Unattended automated night passes for SOHO began October 6 2007.

2. Priorities for the coming month and more

a) Joint observing plans and campaigns


Continuing campaigns:

* 2002/02/25--  JOP136 Default RHESSI Collaborations (#6850),
                POC: Tero Siili
* 2003/05/13--  Default CDS Co-observations with TRACE (#6950)
* 2005/09/20--  JOP153/MMOP003 Future Major Flare Watch (#8008)
* 2007/03/20--  Default CDS/Hinode-EIS co-observations (#7200)

  Campaign #6850 is for "individual instrument studies" selecting an active
  region target [partially] influenced by the Max Millennium target
  selection to maximise chances of serendipitous co-observations.

  EIT supports all with half/full-res 195 A CME watch in submode 5/6. It is
  clear that STEREO-EUVI provides adequate "context" information for RHESSI
  flare observations. Routine EIT submode and resolution switches are
  probably no longer needed.


* Dec 2-May 28  Exceptional Ulysses Quadrature

  Observations of the Ulysses spacecraft are expected to cease soon (from
  weeks to few months) --- quite possibly before the end of the quadrature
  period.


* Mar 3-May 4   MDI 60-day Continuous Contact

  The default observing sequence will be 1 min cadence, full disk
  Magnetograms and Dopplergrams along with our usual 96 min synoptic
  Magnetograms and synoptic Continuum images when in high rate.

  To avoid problems with transmitter masks at the end of passes during MDI
  continuous, DSN has requested we bring the carrier down 30 min before the
  end of pass.  As a result, the last 30 min of all MDI continuous contacts
  will be TM only.  For ranging passes, the spacecraft will be transitioned
  to record ~1 h before the end of the pass.  The station will drop the
  carrier and re-sweep into receiver 2.  The spacecraft will then be
  transitioned back to VC2 and VC3.


* Mar 9         Daylight Saving/Summer Time starts in (most of) the United 
                States at 7 UT

  See also section 1e.


* Mar 30        Daylight Saving/Summer Time starts in the European Union
                at 1 UT   

  See also section 1e.


* Mar 20-Apr 16 Whole Heliosphere Interval (WHI) Campaign, 
                  CDS/CELIAS/COSTEP/EIT/LASCO/MDI/SUMER/UVCS/TRACE/
                  Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT/STEREO-SECCHI/
                  STEREO-PLASTIC, 
                  POC: Sarah Gibson, TBD

  The current thinking is that this set of campaigns (associated with the
  International Heliospheric Year - IHY) will be structured as multiple
  JOPs, but be centrally coordinated in the same fashion as the Aug 2007
  run of JOP194.

  The tentative JOP titles and timings are:

* Mar 20-26     JOP 201 Linking the Corona to the Solar Wind at Ulysses,
                  EIT(TBD)/LASCO/UVCS/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/STEREO-SECCHI/
                  TRACE/Ulysses-SWOOPS/Ulysses-SWICS/Global Muon Detector
                  Monitor/EISCAT/HSO/IPS/Nancay/Ooty
                  POC: Giannina Poletto,
                  URL: http://web.hao.ucar.edu/~sgibson/WHI/WHI-HOLEULYSSES.html

  NOTE: Observations of the Ulysses spacecraft are expected to cease soon
  (from weeks to few months). The emphasis of JOP 201 may shift to polar
  plumes.

  NOTE: JOP 201 is essentially the same as HOP 0064.

* Mar 27-Apr 2  JOP 202 Origin of the Slow Solar Wind/Streamer Study,
                  CDS/EIT/LASCO/UVCS/ACE/Geotail/Hinode-XRT/
                  STEREO-SECCHI/TRACE/Ulysses/EISCAT/MLSO/Nagoya/Nancay/
                  OOTY/SMEI 
                  POC: Leonard Strachan
                  URL: http://web.hao.ucar.edu/~sgibson/WHI/WHI_Slow_Wind.html)

* Apr 3-9       JOP 203 Coronal Hole Boundary & Low-latitude Coronal Holes,
                  UVCS/CELIAS/LASCO/SUMER/CEPAC-EPHIN/
                  ACE-SWICS/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT/
                  STEREO-PLASTIC/STEREO-SECCHI/STEREO-SEPT/TRACE/
                  Ulysses-KET/Ulysses-SWICS/Ooty/STELAB-IPS/Nancay 
                  POC: Mari'Paz Miralles and Craig DeForest,
                  URL: http://web.hao.ucar.edu/~sgibson/WHI/WHI-TOO_EQHOLE.html
                       http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/JOPs/jop203.html

  As default a polar hole from the north and on the east limb (due to
  Ulysses) will be selected as target.

  If an equatorial coronal hole is present (as is likely at this point),
  the Target of Opportunity 2 (JOP 206; see below) will be run.

  NOTE: Observations of the Ulysses spacecraft are expected to cease soon
  (from weeks to few months).

* Apr 10-16     JOP 204 Characterizing the energetics and dynamics of
                  the quiet Sun,
                  CDS/EIT/MDI/SUMER/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT/
                  STEREO-SECCHI/TRACE/HSO-COMP/HSO-MOTH/NSO-IBIS/
                  NSO-SPINOR
                  POC: Scott McIntosh
                  URL: web.hao.ucar.edu/~sgibson/WHI/WHI-QS.html

  Targets of Opportunity (ToO) JOPs are:

  ToO-1
* Mar 20-Apr 16 JOP 205 Active Regions,
                  EIT/MDI/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT/RHESSI/
                  STEREO-SECCHI/TRACE/Nancay/SMEI 
                  POC: Robert Leamon
                  URL: web.hao.ucar.edu/~sgibson/WHI/WHI-TOO_AR.html

  ToO-2
* Mar 20-Apr 16 JOP 206 Low-latitude Coronal Holes,
                  UVCS/CELIAS/LASCO/SUMER/EPHIN/ACE-SWICS/Hinode-EIS/
                  Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT/STEREO-PLASTIC/STEREO-SECCHI/
                  STEREO-SEPT/TRACE/Ulysses-KET/Ulysses-SWICS/Ooty/
                  STELAB-IPS/Nancay 
                  POC: Mari'Paz Miralles,
                  URL: web.hao.ucar.edu/~sgibson/WHI/WHI-TOO_EQHOLE.html
                       sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/JOPs/jop206.html

  NOTE: Observations of the Ulysses spacecraft are expected to cease soon
  (from weeks to few months).

  ToO-3
* Mar 20-Apr 16 JOP 194 Activity in filaments and filament channels,
                  CDS/UVCS/EIT/LASCO/TRACE/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-XRT/STEREO/
                  Hinode-SOT/BBSO/ISOON/MLSO/SMEI/ProMag(TBD)/CoMP(TBD)/
                  HELIO(TBD)
                  POC: Therese Kucera, Sarah Gibson
                  URL: web.hao.ucar.edu/~sgibson/CIP21/topcampaign.html

  If a ToO JOP is run, the week's regularly scheduled JOP would also be
  run, but for a reduced time.

  UVCS will support.

  TRACE has received a request to support.

  MDI can support all JOPs with full disk, 1 minute cadence, magnetograms
  and dopplergrams in addition to the 96 minute synoptic magnetograms and
  continuum images (when in high rate).

  According to a 15 Jan 2008 e-mail from S. Gibson, high-resolution MDI
  observations will not be needed for this campaign.

  CDS will participate. As requested, the relevant JOP descriptions have
  been forwarded to the CDS team.

  LASCO will participate with C2pB@ 6 h cadence with C3pB@ 12 h cadence
  along with synoptics; JOP201, JOP202, and Ulysses; unless contacted for
  additional support.

  There may be a submode-related timing issue between EIT shutterless
  number 31 (Apr 9, 16) and the SUMER support of WHI observations. SUMER
  plans to support the WHI from Apr 9 to 15 or 16 Apr and is willing to
  release either 9 or 16 Apr for a single EIT shutterless run (16 Apr
  preferred by SUMER). SUMER suggests submode change from 6 to 5 to take
  place on 3 or 4 Apr and from 5 to 6 on 16 Apr.

  Hinode is currently experiencing technical difficulties that have
  resulted in a reduction in the rate at which scientific data can be
  transmitted to the ground from the on-board recorder. According to the
  Hinode Science Working Group "The problem will have a significant impact
  on how the Hinode mission is operated." For further details see
  http://spd.aas.org/SolarNews/archive/news.html#section1. The WHI
  coordinator has tasked the leaders of individual WHI campaigns
  (JOPs/HOPs) to assess the effect of the Hinode situation on their
  observation plans and revise the plans if needed.


* Apr 9,16      EIT Shutterless #31

  There is a potential timing issue between this shutterless and the SUMER
  support for the WHI. See also the WHI entry above. EIT requests more
  information from SUMER.


* May-Jul       SUMER Campaign, Timing TBD

  The SUMER/Hinode campaign is postponed and the new timing will be given
  later.  The planning will however continue and proposals or requests for
  re-runs can be submitted.

  The campaign will be structured as multiple JOPs in the same fashion as
  the 2006 SUMER campaigns have been.

  Currently submitted JOP/HOP proposals are (timings remain TBD):

  1) JOP 207 Eruptive and quiescent prominences Atlas with SOHO and Hinode,
     CDS/SUMER/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT, POC: Susanna Parenti.

  2) JOP 208 Relationship between movements of magnetic features and mass
     outflow in funnels, MDI/SUMER/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT/TRACE,
     POC: Hui Tian

  3) JOP 209 Coronal bright points in quiet Sun and coronal hole,
     MDI/SUMER/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT/TRACE, POC: Hui Tian

  4) JOP 210 Checking the possible drives of solar wind origin in the
     coronal hole, SUMER/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT, POC: Hui Tian

  5) JOP 211 How does the solar wind originate from the quiet-Sun region?
     SUMER/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT, POC: Hui Tian

  6) JOP 212 Connection between UV explosive event and magnetic
     cancellation, SUMER/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT/Hinode-XRT, POC: Hui Tian

  Assuming the campaign is outside of keyhole periods MDI can provide
  either full disk or high resolution observations as per campaign
  requests.

  TRACE had not been contacted for support requests for the original
  campaign timing and asks to be contacted as soon as the new timing is
  being narrowed down.


* Jun 11-15     MDI Continuous Contact

  The default campaign will be full disk Magnetograms and Dopplergrams.

  MDI is willing to do high resolution observations during this CC period.
  Specifically, doing another Helioseismology study with Hinode would be
  ideal.  Observing campaigns suggested for HR Helioseismology studies are
  hr_ve_fe_me (620"x310" FOV) or hr_t2_ve_fe_me (420"x420" FOV) in
  non-track mode. Those interested, please request specific observations
  about 1 month ahead of time.  Due to commanding constraints for MDI, we'd
  like to plan our observations ASAP.

  MDI has not received any high resolution observing requests for this
  period; requests should be submitted to MDI ASAP.

  To avoid problems with transmitter masks at the end of passes during MDI
  continuous, DSN has requested we bring the carrier down 30 min before the
  end of pass.  As a result, the last 30 min of all MDI continuous contacts
  will be TM only.  For ranging passes, the spacecraft will be transitioned
  to record ~1 h before the end of the pass.  The station will drop the
  carrier and re-sweep into receiver 2.  The spacecraft will then be
  transitioned back to VC2 and VC3.


* Jun 20-30     Chromospheric network structure and dynamics,
                SUMER/Hinode-SOT/SST/TIP II/ZIMPOL II,
                POC: Anna Pietarila

  Details are TBC.


* Jul 9-13      MDI Continuous Contact

  The default campaign will be full disk Magnetograms and Dopplergrams.

  MDI is willing to do high resolution observations during this CC period.
  Specifically, doing another Helioseismology study with Hinode would be
  ideal.  Observing campaigns suggested for HR Helioseismology studies are
  hr_ve_fe_me (620"x310" FOV) or hr_t2_ve_fe_me (420"x420" FOV) in
  non-track mode. Those interested, please request specific observations
  about 1 month ahead of time.  Due to commanding constraints for MDI, we'd
  like to plan our observations ASAP.

  MDI has not received any high resolution observing requests for this
  period; requests should be submitted to MDI ASAP.

  To avoid problems with transmitter masks at the end of passes during MDI
  continuous, DSN has requested we bring the carrier down 30 min before the
  end of pass.  As a result, the last 30 min of all MDI continuous contacts
  will be TM only.  For ranging passes, the spacecraft will be transitioned
  to record ~1 h before the end of the pass.  The station will drop the
  carrier and re-sweep into receiver 2.  The spacecraft will then be
  transitioned back to VC2 and VC3.


* Jul 23,30     EIT Shutterless #32


* Sep 24-28     MDI Continuous Contact

  The default observing sequence will be full disk, 1 min cadence
  Magnetograms and Dopplergrams in addition to our 96 min synoptic
  Magnetograms and Continuum images (when in high rate).

  To avoid problems with transmitter masks at the end of passes during MDI
  continuous, DSN has requested we bring the carrier down 30 min before the
  end of pass.  As a result, the last 30 min of all MDI continuous contacts
  will be TM only.  For ranging passes, the spacecraft will be transitioned
  to record ~1 h before the end of the pass.  The station will drop the
  carrier and re-sweep into receiver 2.  The spacecraft will then be
  transitioned back to VC2 and VC3.


b) Intercalibration activities

  Last Intercal was: Jan 16

  So far no ICAL carried out in Feb 2008.

* Mar 3-7         ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT/Hinode-EIS

  ICALs are normally performed monthly.

  Possible EIS collaboration. CDS views Hinode-EIS participation as
  extremely important.  EIS and Stereo have been added to the Campaign
  #7113 description.

  Dates, details and confirmation will be determined by the planners. 

  EIT: ICALs are OK except (usually) during the weeks of shutterless ---
  whenever CDS prefers.   ICAL in March OK for EIT. Exact date TBC.



c) Individual instrument plans


MDI:

  See section 2a for MDI continuous contact periods.

  MDI may reduce the ALT cadence during Keyholes to be less than 15 ALT
  magnetograms per day if the lack of high rate telemetry is such that we
  will lose all or almost all of the 15 ALT Magnetograms each day.  The ALT
  cadence will be decided on an individual Keyhole basis and even a daily
  basis during each Keyhole depending on the 70 m antenna availability at
  the time.  MDI may also downlink select magnetograms in the 5 kbps
  telemetry if no 70 m passes are available at least every 2 days for Mag
  dump in the 160 kbps telemetry.

  All requests for MDI support need to be made several months ahead of time
  and sent to mdi-ops(at)mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov.  Even outside keyholes,
  MDI can only do 1-minute cadence observations when we have contact and
  there is no recorder dump in progress.

  MDI's REQUEST page is at http://mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov/coordination.txt
  NOTE: Listing of a study on that page means *only* that a request has
  been received, not that it will necessarily be supported.

  A description of MDI Observing Modes most used for JOPs and campaigns (FD
  vs. HR) can be found at http://mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov/Collaborate.
  Anyone requesting MDI observations is encouraged to read this page in
  order to have a better idea of what observing modes would be best suited
  for a particular study.  More detailed information about how MDI
  operates, observational constraints and telemetry information can be
  found at http://mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov/MDI_Collaboration_Details.

  MDI is back in Focus 5 for best focus for FD observing and will stay 
  there at least until May 2008.


UVCS:

  We have been using the LyA detector for some observations and will keep
  planning so when appropriate.

  For weekly plans, see the SOHO calendar and the UVCS planning page:
  http://www.cfa.harvard.edu/uvcs/observations/obst.html.


CDS:

  For details see http://solar.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/scientificops/request.shtml.


LASCO/EIT:

  EIT: 195 A CME watch plus synoptics at 6-hour cadence, as usual. Full-res
  CME watch whenever we're in submode 6. Hope never to change until the
  Bogart mission.

  LASCO continues the C2 pB program at 6hr cadence till Apr 2008. POC:
  Angelos Vourlidas.

  Lasco has resumed the C2C3 pB program, will continue through April and
  the WHI.


SUMER:

  SUMER supports the Whole Heliospheric Interval (WHI) activities from 9 to
  15 or 16 Apr (TBC). See also the WHI entry in section 2a above.

  The planned 2-week SUMER campaign from 21 Apr to 8 May 2008 is postponed,
  new timing is TBD; see section 2a.

  SUMER has received six JOPs/HOPs and a couple of re-runs for this
  campaign (see section 2a). Priority will be given to those sets of
  observations, which are new. Planning will be done with and details given
  in the planning tool
  http://www.mps.mpg.de/homes/theissen/scr/planning/index.cgi. The tool
  will be opened as soon as the dates are fixed. Observers are requested to
  communicate their details via this tool.


TRACE:

  NOTE that TRACE in general reserves the right to withdraw support from
  agreed, existing collaborations if a sufficiently "good active region" is
  called by the Max Millennium group.

  During the period of deepest eclipses (Nov. 16 - Feb. 15) of its winter
  eclipse season, TRACE will be operated by three command loads per week
  (Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays). TRACE will accept a limited number of
  JOP requests, giving preference to those that involve multiple
  observatories (in space and/or on the ground), provided that their
  targets can be specified on a schedule that is compatible with the
  reduced frequency in instrument command loads during the winter eclipse
  season).

  For TRACE summer eclipse season see section 1e.

  TRACE annealing is scheduled for the week starting 25 Feb 2008.

  TRACE will move back to loading 5 days a week as of the week starting
  3 Mar 2008.

3. Any other business

* Next SPWG:

  Friday 28 March after daily & weekly meetings.


The rest are FYI items:

* Hinode is currently experiencing technical difficulties that have
  resulted in a reduction in the rate at which scientific data can be
  transmitted to the ground from the on-board recorder. According to the
  Hinode Science Working Group "The problem will have a significant impact
  on how the Hinode mission is operated." For further details see
  http://spd.aas.org/SolarNews/archive/news.html#section1.

* In the future SOHO's DSN contacts will grow shorter as we lose 26-m
  antenna support and other, new missions get higher priority. The
  instrument teams are therefore requested to look at the NRT commanding
  that is done (especially for emergencies and recoveries) and see what can
  be converted into TSTOLs that the FOT can run (even without explicit
  instrument or SOC direction).

* MDI high-rate support requests: no change, see URL
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20080118.html

* DSN support requests: preferably at least 6 months in advance.  Keep this
  in mind for: ground-based collaborations that require MDI support,
  stellar/shutterless observations that require NRT, etc.

* Future Mercury and Venus transits: no change, see URL
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20080118.html

* Hinode operational and planning information and guidelines: no change,
  see URL http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20080118.html
  and http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/JOPs/jop-submit.html

* STEREO operational and planning information: no change, see URL
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20080118.html

* The SOHO JOP/ICAL database and the web pages are now the Solar JOP/ICAL
  database and web pages. This is due to anticipated increased
  contributions by and collaborations as well as intercalibrations with
  STEREO and Hinode.

* New JOP vs. modified existing JOP rules-of-thumb: no change, see URL
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20080118.html

* SOHO calendar email notifications: no change, see URL
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20080118.html
 
 

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