OPERATIONS
Science Operations
FINAL MINUTES FOR SOHO 28 Aug 2009 SPWG MEETING
1. Boundary conditions
a) Orbit, attitude and manoeuvres
- SOHO is right side up (0 degrees).
- manoeuvres
To the degree possible, manoeuvres take place during the last days of
34-m keyholes. Currently proposed or set manoeuvre dates are:
Nov 7 station-keeping, momentum management and
roll (to approximately 180 degrees)
Feb 2 (TBC) station-keeping and momentum management
Feb 5 (TBC) roll (to approximately 0 degrees)
b) Communications with the spacecraft
Graphical DSN schedule: http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/dsn/
The SOHO High-Gain Antenna (HGA) was moved on Aug 14, 2009 the change the
Z-axis angle from -18.55 to -16.7 degrees (to reduce keyhole
durations). The keyhole durations will be shortened by 6-7 days for the
short keyholes (summer and winter seasons) and 10-12 days for the long
keyholes.
Keyhole dates for the next 6 months for the old HGA Z-axis angle of
-18.55 degrees:
* Oct 27-Nov 13 26m Keyhole
* Oct 31-Nov 9 34m Keyhole
* Jan 16-Feb 12 26m Keyhole
* Jan 23-Feb 5 34m Keyhole
DRAFT Keyhole dates for the next 6 months for the new HGA Z-axis angle of
-16.7 degrees (these will be confirmed after testing during the
"mini-keyhole" period peaking on Sep 26, 2009):
* Oct 30-Nov 10 26m Keyhole
* Nov 1-7 34m Keyhole
* Jan 21-Feb 7 26m Keyhole
* Jan 26-Feb 3 34m Keyhole
All keyhole information is available at or via
http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyholes.html.
- End-of-pass handling during MDI continuous contact periods
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.
- DSN 26 m antenna decommissioning and the keyholes
DSN decommissioned its 26 m antennae in early August. On 14 August, the
SOHO HGA Z-axis was successfully moved from -18.55 to -16.7 degrees to
reduce keyhole durations.
c) KNOWN submode (SM) dependent activities/submode changes:
* TOO JOP153/MMOP003 Future Major Flare Watch (SM5 if SUMER
observes target, SM6 otherwise)
* Oct 8, 15 EIT shutterless #37 (time TBC)
* Jan 7, 15 EIT shutterless #38 (time TBC)
SUMER campaign dates may overlap with keyholes. Such overlaps shall be
scheduled only if periods of no SUMER data between passes are acceptable.
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.
d) Instrument maintenance activities
EIT bakeouts will take place during keyholes.
e) Spacecraft maintenance activities
Since the FOT staffing (and hence the FOT's resources to implement
changes quickly) will decrease towards the end of this calendar year, all
instrument teams are reminded to review not only thermal, but also other
limits as well as TSTOL procedures and scripts for possible changes.
The available power from the solar arrays is decreasing. Currently we
still have sufficient margin, but in the future the decrease per year
(now ca. 1 A) may increase to 3 A per year. We have to be prepared to
reduce our power needs as much as possible. On the spacecraft side
several adjustments have already been made and there is not much more
that can be done. Therefore we are asking the instrument teams,
especially the 'big' power consumers LASCO/EIT, CDS, UVCS and SUMER, to
start looking into ways of reducing their power consumption
(e.g. different operating modes, heater reductions, ...). Hopefully we
will not have to use this reduced power mode very soon, but it is better
to be prepared in case a power reduction is needed. More details coming
later.
The SOHO High-Gain Antenna (HGA) was moved on Aug 14, 2009 the change the
Z-axis angle from -18.55 to -16.7 degrees.
f) Others
TRACE eclipse season began on 13 Sep 2008 and will be ongoing, except for
the following predicted non-eclipse period in 2009:
Jul 28 -- Sep 9
Hard eclipses will start on Sept 13
TRACE' Sep 30 - early Dec hibernation period has been cancelled. The
entries to this period have been removed from section 2 below.
Daytime weekday passes of Mon-Wed are currently automated but
attended. Thu-Fri passes remain crewed for training and proficiency
reasons. Date of transition to unattended daytime automation remains TBD.
NRT during automated passes (both weekend and weekday) is currently
paused (briefly) regularly for resets of software anomalies. NRT schedule
(which includes the pauses) for all automated passes can be found at
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/nighttime_nrt.txt.
A (MDI) jitter test completed successfully on July 20. Data analysis
will be done and another test may be scheduled in October or whenever it
is requested by the SOHO ESA engineers. The timing will be coordinated
around the MDI science roll and the Themis campaign.
New intermittent recording patch subsets needed during the Bogart mission
phase will need to be tested on-board, which results in MDI data
gaps. The testing is suggested to be made after Solar Dynamics
Observatory (SDO) has been launched successfully.
MDI Jitter test analysis not yet complete. However, other jitter
tests can be scheduled whenever the ESA engineers request them.
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.
* Mar 16 - Sep LASCO C2pB for Tomography Reconstruction,
POC: Angelos Vourlidas, Richard Frazin
* Mar 27- JOP 222 (ToO) Detecting the Origin of Shock-Accelerated Solar
Energetic Particles, LASCO/STEREO-SECCHI
POC: Angelos Vourlidas
LASCO is ready to run the JOP, awaiting a target.
* Sep 14 HERSCHEL sounding rocket launch, 17:40 UT,
CDS/EIT/LASCO/UVCS/STEREO/TRACE,
POC: Dan Moses, Lucia Abbo
HERSCHEL has been assigned a new launch date on the official WSMR
schedule: 14 September 2009. The tentative T-time is 17:40 UT
with the launch window closing at T+20 minutes. Hopefully the
previously requested co-observation plans of 20-21 July can be
accommodated on 14 September.
Description of the payload can be found for instance in the June 2009
SOHO SPG final minutes
(http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20090619.html). See
also section 2b (intercalibration activities) for proposed
SOHO/STEREO/TRACE/HERSCHEL cross-calibration (ICAL14).
UVCS will support.
EIT and LASCO will support.
TRACE will support.
* Sep 23-Oct 10 Coordinated campaign with THEMIS,
CDS/EIT/MDI/Hinode-EIS/Hinode-SOT (TBC),
POC: Brigitte Schmieder
Coordinated observations between SOHO instruments during observations at
the THEMIS vector magnetograph are proposed. JOPs 157 and 178 are the
proposed observing programs, but the descriptions will need to be
updated. At least CDS, EIT and SUMER are mentioned in the current JOP
descriptions.
Timing remains TBC.
MDI has been in touch with the POC re: supporting with full-disk
observations. Full-disk magnetograms seem to be sufficient, but it may be
possible after Sep 30 to do High Resolution observations if the JOP's
require MDI to do so.
MDI will support this campaign. There is a request to do Helioseismology
with Hinode at the beginning of Sep. Most of Sep is reserved to do full
disk Helioseismology, but MDI needs to have 3 periods of 16 h of
uninterrupted MDI high rate data. The preferred dates are Sep 3-11, but
they need not be contiguous. Request for the high rate periods has been
submitted to the DSN scheduler. See also the MDI Continuous Contact entry
below.
CDS will support.
* Sep 25-27 MDI Continuous Contact, MDI
Will do full disk, 1 minute cadence Magnetograms and Dopplergrams along
with the usual 96 minute synoptic Magnetograms and Continuum images (when
in MDI high rate).
* Sep 27-Oct 25 JOP 224 Solar Tomography with Minimal Solar Rotation,
LASCO/STEREO-SECCHI/MLSO-MK4,
POC: Russ Hewett
Proposed STEREO-SOHO co-observations. A unique configuration of the three
spacecraft is utilized and dictates the timing, but details and timing
remain TBC. The optimal configuration occurs on 11 Oct. Draft
description can be found at
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/JOPs/jop224.pdf.
* Oct 8 (TBD) EIT shutterless #37 run 1,
POC: Susanna Parenti
* Oct 15 (TBD) EIT shutterless #37 run 2,
POC: Susanna Parenti
* Oct 26 (TBD) MDI science roll, MDI/CDS/SUMER (TBC)
A 360-degree roll with multiple stops and observations is being planned
and Oct 26 seems to be a good candidate date. The timing remains TBD,
however (and can in principle also be during the keyhole). DSN 70-m
support will be needed. The duration of the maneuver is TBD, but is
expected to be of the order of 6-12 h. The Earth-SOHO distance, DSN
availability (including keyhole) and the proposed JOP 224 are among the
timing constraints.
Information on a similar earlier maneuver can be found at
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/timeline_roll2001 and
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/timeline_roll2001.detailed. The
details (such as number of stops and dwell times) will most likely be
different this time.
Other instruments are invited to take advantage of this maneuver.
CDS will use the multiple stops during the roll to verify the instrument
point spread function.
SUMER would like to participate but will not be able to if the roll is
Oct 26 or 27.
MDI says the roll does need to be completed in a single day, I don't
think we can have any appreciable gap in contacts during the roll.
Resolution from Tina Kelly:
Here are the times scheduled for the 26th and 10th (backup day).
October 26
299 1305 1350 2350 0005 DSS-27 SOHO ROLL MNVR MDI UL 0299 N056 V 1A1
299 1320 1350 2350 0005 DSS-14 SOHO ROLL MNVR MDI DL 0299 N073 I 1A1
November 10
314 1450 1535 0045 0100 DSS-27 SOHO ROLL MNVR MDI UL 0314 N056 V 1A1
314 1505 1535 0045 0100 DSS-14 SOHO ROLL MNVR MDI DL 0314 N162 I 1A1
* Jan 7 (TBD) EIT shutterless #38 run 1,
POC: Susanna Parenti
* Jan 15 (TBD) EIT shutterless #38 run 2,
POC: Susanna Parenti
b) Intercalibration activities
Last ICAL was: August 20
ICALs are normally performed monthly. Below is a SOC proposal for ICAL
weeks for the next six months. Baseline will be to schedule it for
Thursday during contact.
* Sep 14 (TBC) ICAL14 SOHO-STEREO-TRACE-HERSCHEL radiometric
cross-calibration (TBC),
EIT/LASCO/UVCS/STEREO/TRACE/HERSCHEL,
POC: Lucia Abbo
A radiometric cross-calibration between SOHO, STEREO, TRACE and the
HERSCHEL sounding rocket has been proposed. A preliminary draft of the
ICAL proposal can be found at
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/JOPs/ical014-draft.pdf. For timing and
details of the HERSCHEL launch see section 2a above.
* Sep 14-18 ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT/STEREO/Hinode-EIS(TBD)/Hinode-SOT(TBD)
The proposed ICAL14 intercalibration (see above) needs to be taken into
account in scheduling the ICAL01 for this week.
* Oct 12-16 ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT/STEREO/Hinode-EIS(TBD)/Hinode-SOT(TBD)
* Nov 16-20 ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT/STEREO/Hinode-EIS(TBD)/Hinode-SOT(TBD)
* Dec 14-18 ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT/STEREO/Hinode-EIS(TBD)/Hinode-SOT(TBD)
* Jan 11-15 ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT/STEREO/Hinode-EIS(TBD)/Hinode-SOT(TBD)
* Feb 15-19 ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT/STEREO/Hinode-EIS(TBD)/Hinode-SOT(TBD)
Proposed compiled ICAL scheduling criteria, constraints and guidelines
(see also campaign #7113):
1) EIT/CDS are the primary participating instruments
2) STEREO-EUVI observations are included when possible. ICALs are
attempted to be scheduled not to coincide with STEREO manoeuvres or
other interruptions in observations (see
http://stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov/plans.shtml).
3) EIT: ICALs OK at all other times except the weeks of shutterless
4) Dates, details and confirmation will be determined by the planners
with support from the SOHO SOCs.
5) Neither Hinode-SOT nor Hinode-XRT have current interest in
participating in ICALs. Hinode-EIS will from time-to-time perform its
sensitivity calibration exercise, but has no need to perform this
regularly as part of the SOHO ICAL. When it is convenient for
Hinode-EIS (given Hinode's constraints), SOHO will be informed ahead
of time of when the sensitivity calibration is to be performed. It
will then be up to SOHO whether to follow Hinode-EIS' pointing and
timing.
CDS OK. If Hinode-EIS can suggest convenient date & time, CDS can usually
accommodate.
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 down-link 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 has switched to Focus 5 (best focus for full-disk observing) on Oct
23, 2008.
MDI will do Full Disk Velocity observations for March and September 2009.
These FD Velocity observations are reserved specifically to collaborate
with Hinode-SOT. MDI also reserves the March (28-30) continuous contact
for FD Helioseimology studies with Hinode-SOT.
A 360-degree roll with multiple stops and observations is being planned
--- see October entries of section 2a above.
A jitter test was done on Jul 20. See also section 1f.
UVCS:
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.
EIT/LASCO:
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.
SUMER:
SUMER would like to participate in the roll manoeuvre (see also section
2a) but will not participate if it is Oct 26 or 27. We have a problem with
our remaining detector (with the potential of being a serious one) and would
like to do some tests before we discuss further science observations. We
suggest to do this test after the November keyhole.
SUMER has plans for another campaign after SDO commissioning. Dates are
still TBD.
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.
For TRACE summer eclipse season see section 1f.
3. Any other business
* Tentative SPWG meeting times for next six months (only the next one will be decided in this meeting). Meetings take place as a baseline on Fridays after the daily and weekly meetings. Sep 25 Oct 30 Nov 20 Dec 18 Jan 29 Feb 26 The rest are FYI items: * 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
