SOHO SPWG Minutes
SPWG FINAL MINUTES
Friday 27 February 2004
1. Boundary conditions
* SOHO is "upside down" until the next manoeuvre, tentatively planned
for March 30. It will include (order TBD) a station keeping (SK),
momentum management (MM), and an 180 degree roll. The preliminary
fuel estimate for the station keeping is 0.0685 kg.
* The scheduling windows for the next 2 keyhole periods are given
below. For estimated keyhole dates through 2006 see
http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyholes.txt
* Mar 15 High Rate on 26m stations ends, TBC
* Mar 19 High Rate on 34m stations ends, TBC
* Apr 4 High Rate on 34m stations resumes, TBC
* Apr 8 High Rate on 26m stations resumes, TBC
* Jun 16 High Rate on 26m stations ends, TBC
* Jun 19 High Rate on 34m stations ends, TBC
* Jun 29 High Rate on 34m stations resumes, TBC
* Jul 3 High Rate on 26m stations resumes, TBC
* Long-term DSN outlook: The Mars missions may last through the end of the
year. Expect keyhole schedules similar to the last/next one as long as
they are operational. Outside keyholes, we may also see less contact
time than we are used to: No data loss is expected, but some days will
have awkward commanding times (no Goldstone pass).
The fall 2003 keyhole may have been exceptionally good. The
long-term scheduling for 2005 and 2006 indicates that there will be
very substantial losses of normal VC0/1 during most keyholes, but we
hope that the SSR patch will be there to capture GOLF, VIRGO and MDI
structure with no interruptions.
* The DSN schedule (UPDATED) for the March/April keyhole can be found at
http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyhole.mar04. A simulation of the
keyhole has been performed: It is actually possible to capture
continuous data sets for both GOLF and VIRGO, assuming all passes work
as advertised, by selectively recording parts of the gaps. The
recordings will be worked into the DSN schedule shortly. There is also
limited space on the TR/SSR for contingency recordings in case of ground
problems.
A plot of the simulation (for those that are particularly interested)
can be found at http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyhole_mar04.pdf. For
a basic explanation of the plot, see AOB section of
http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20031219.html.
Assuming no changes in the DSN schedule and no ground problems, the
first loss of VC1 starts on March 20 at 00:32 UT, the last loss of VC1
ends on April 3 at 23:05 UT.
At this time there is no news to report regarding support from ESA's New
Norcia ground station in western Australia.
Work on an on-board patch for recording only selected APIDs (e.g. GOLF,
VIRGO, MDI and possibly some spacecraft housekeeping data) on the SSR is
progressing, but it is unlikely to be available for the March/April
keyhole.
MDI may be doing a leg alignment before the keyhole/manoeuvre.
* Unless a Major Flare Watch is in progress, TRACE will be doing full disk
mosaics if/when EIT is not able to do synoptic sets due to keyhole
operations.
* MDI continuous contacts
May 26-Jun 7 MDI Continuous Contact
* Submodes: Submode 6 until April 13
Submode 5 until June 17 EXCEPT FOR EIT shutterless on
May 25 and June 2, change times TBD
See Section 2c for details on the SUMER campaign prior to the MEDOC
campaign.
* June 3-17 MEDOC Campaign #13
Note - this campaign begins & ends on Thursdays, avoiding the June 2 EIT
Shutterless which must be in Submode 6. The Shutterless may be
coordinated from MEDOC, though.
* EIT Bakeout/Shutterless/Other:
* Mar 18-Apr 4 EIT Bakeout
* May 25,Jun 2 EIT Shutterless 20:00-22:40 UT
LASCO will observe w/regular synoptic cadence through the keyhole
bakeout.
NOTE: All shutterless and bakeout dates are obviously TBD with
keyhole operations. Presumably, bakeouts will be scheduled
preferentially during periods with poor DSN coverage.
* Commanding outlook: See AOB section.
* TRACE will still be seeing atmospheric absorption through the month of
February even though the hard eclipses have ended. During eclipse
season, TRACE will only load plans on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays. Daily loads will be resumed in March.
* No Mercury Transits in 2004: See January 2004 SPWG minutes for
details on close calls (all above 1.6 degrees).
* Venus Transit: The DSN schedule for the Venus transit (June 8, DOY
160, closest approach at about 13:40 UT) is currently as follows:
DOY 160 DSS-66 0450-1330 (BOT-EOT)
DOY 160 DSS-16 1310-0115 (BOT-EOT)
This is only a coronal transit seen from SOHO. We will likely be in
record most of the time while Venus is in EIT's FOV, restricted by the
need to ensure that no MDI Magnetogram is lost during the Venus
transit. VC2 periods will be inserted as needed to preserve all
magnetograms (timing may be dependent on downlink quality).
The following paragraph contains the latest information from FDF:
SOHO will see Venus at closest approach to the solar centre on June 8th,
2004 at 13:40 UTC (to 1 minute precision and with 5.7 minutes light-time
delay taken into account). The angle of Venus-Sun separation at that
epoch will be 0.31741194 deg (1142.68 arc-sec). By comparison, the
solar angular radius as seen from SOHO will be 0.2648485 deg (953.45
arc-sec), and the angular diameter of Venus will be 59.5 arc-sec. At
the point of epoch of closest approach, the Venus position angles
(measured counter-clockwise around Sun from reference) will be 171.5 deg
(from North Ecliptic Pole) and 178.75 deg (from Sun's North Pole). Note
that SOHO sees the transit event about 5.3 hours after Earth does.
We will be making a 5-minute ephemeris available shortly, together with
IDL tools similar to what was provided for the 2003 Mercury transit. The
ephemeris will be updated after next S/K manoeuvre.
Other relevant information (the transit as seen from Earth) can be found at
http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/transit04.html.
We would like to know from instrumenters how far out (i.e. solar radii)
the ephemeris needs to go.
The Venus transit will be observed by SUMER, CDS, EIT, UVCS and
LASCO. We will be in Submode 5 during the Venus transit.
TRACE will also observe the Venus Transit.
LASCO will do special observations with ground based observatories from
about June 3 to June 13. In Submode 5, this will mean a roughly 2-hour
hole in EIT's CME watch those days.
2. Priorities for the coming month & more
a) Joint observing plans and campaigns
* Feb-Sep Quiescent AR Loop Diagnostics (#7019), CDS/TRACE/EIT,
POC: Helen Mason (h.e.mason@damtp.cam.ac.uk)
Local POC: CDS Planner
TOO for the next 6 months. CDS planner coordinates with TRACE when
applicable, usually by following TRACE pointing. Normally this study
would be run when a suitable region is on the limb AND TRACE is
observing it.
EIT contributes w/CME watch and synoptics.
* Mar/Apr JOP172 Coronal Micro-Events, RHESSI/TRACE/CDS/MDI/EIT,
POC: Karel Schrijver (schryver@lmsal.com), TOO
Will most likely be run after TRACE has done some calibrations. MDI
will support it as long as it doesn't conflict with continuous
contacts or keyholes. Note that there is a keyhole right in the
March-April time frame!
CDS would like to have a few weeks notice.
* Mar 1-14 Loop Variablity Study, CDS/TRACE,
POC: Mike Marsh (mmarsh@uclan.ac.uk)
* Mar 4-14 Quasi-steady Coronal Loops, TRACE/SPO/Sac Peak/Big Bear,
POC: Ted Tarbell (tarbell@lmco.com)
MDI is willing to support this, but they have not received a
specific request for it. If they only need 96 minute mags, there is
no problem. If anything else is needed, please contact
mdiops@mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov
* Apr 14-Jun 3 JOP104/MMOP007 X-ray flows and coronal micro-events, SUMER
* May 2-16 JOP174 Condensation and Temporal Variation in AR Loops,
SUMER/TRACE/CDS/EIT/MDI,
POC: Terje.Fredvik@astro.uio.no
NOTE: JOP is not yet submitted, but is referred to in SUMER's plans.
A draft can be found at http://folk.uio.no/tfredvik/astro/jop174.txt
MDI has not received a request for this. We have several other
studies to support in May, so we will give priority to
those. However, if MDI observations are needed, please contact
mdi-ops@mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov and we might be able to work out
joint observations.
SOC note: MDI and EIT synoptic data will be used for target
selection.
TRACE has agreed to support this for the first 2 weeks of may but we
have also received a request from JOP 83 in that time frame.
SUMER plans to support JOP 174, depending on availability of targets
(decision made in real-time).
CDS will support JOP174. A request to run JOP083 in the same period
has been received from Robert Walsh. CDS can support both JOPs.
* May 4-17 JOP083 High Cadence Activity and the Heating of Coronal Loops,
CDS/TRACE/MDI, POC: Robert Walsh (robert@mcs.st-and.ac.uk)
* May 10_Jun 30 JOP012 Limb Prominences, MDI/CDS/SUMER/TRACE/THEMIS/GBOs,
POC: Brigitte.Schmieder@obspm.fr, 1 week, TBC
* May 10_Jun 30 JOP157 Bright Points in ARs, POC: Brigitte.Schmieder@obspm.fr,
CDS/MDI/EIT/TRACE/RHESSI/THEMIS/GBOs, 1 week, TBC
NOTE: Observations will fall within dates shown - exact dates from
THEMIS TBC. Updates to JOP012 and JOP157 have been made by attaching
THEMIS observation proposals.
TRACE originally said May 10-17 were the best dates, but since then
has not heard back. Because of that, JOP083 and JOP174 has snuck in,
so there may be additional conflicts.
MDI may support these two studies with Full Disk Magnetograms
depending on the specific dates picked for the studies (possibly
some HR), as long as they do not conflict with Continuous Contacts
or other JOPS/studies.
* May 15-29 Spicules/Mottles/Jets, MDI/TRACE/SST,
POC: Bart De Pontieu (bdp@lmsal.com)
* May 24-26 Spicule JOP, MDI/SUMER/TRACE/SST,
POC: Bart De Pontieu (bdp@lmsal.com)
Note date modifications, according to Bart De Pontieu. The Spicule
JOP is part of the other collaboration, and both will be coordinated
by Bart.
MDI will support the La Palma Study with HR Mags/Doppler.
* May 24-27 TR Explosive Events, MDI/SUMER/Sac Peak,
POC: Luca Teriaca, TBC
CDS will be asked to participate. No word yet.
MDI will try to support this as long as it does not conflict with
the Continuous Contact that begins 26 May, or any of the other
studies we are supporting.
* TBD date Photospheric/Chromospheric Motions near Sunspots/Filaments,
TRACE/MDI/DOT/Meudon/Pic du Midi,
POC: Thierry Roudier (roudier@bigorre.bagn.obs-mip.fr)
More input is expected from Roudier. Still waiting for GBO time.
MDI is willing to support this as long as it does not conflict with
keyholes or continuous contacts.
* May or July JOP173 3D Structure and Dynamics of Sunspots, TBC,
07:00-22:00 UT, TRACE/MDI/VTT/THEMIS/SST/DOT/DST/MST,
POC: Karin Muglach (muglach@nrl.navy.mil)
MDI is willing to support this as long as it does not conflict with
keyholes or continuous contacts.
TRACE: Scheduling is getting quite full.
* TOO JOP175 Extended Filaments at the Limb, EIT/TRACE/LASCO/UVCS,
POC: Chris.StCyr@nasa.gov
EIT will participate with 304 Å CME watch
LASCO contributes w/synoptic cadence.
UVCS: John Raymond is in the process of making a detailed plan.
Continuing campaigns:
* JOP159 CMEs in Lyman-alpha (#6870), SWAN/LASCO/EIT/UVCS,
POC: Chris St Cyr, Eric Quemerais
Targets of opportunity for the whole period:
* JOP136/MMOP009 Default RHESSI collaboration (#6850)
* JOP153/MMOP003 Major Flare Watch (#7020)
Campaign #6850 is for "individual instrument studies" selecting an
AR target [partially] influenced by the Max Millennium target. This
target will be observed by a significant number of ground based
observatories, so chances for serendipitous co-observations are
good.
b) Intercalibration activities
Last Intercal 1: February 11 (Week 07)
* Week 11 Intercal 1, CDS/EIT
c) Individual instrument plans
MDI:
See section 1 (boundary conditions) for MDI continuous contact periods.
MDI will downlink Magnetograms in the 5k data stream during the
March/April keyhole (exact timing TBD) unless the recorder patch is
available to secure continuous 5k data.
As long as we do not get enough high rate TM to get mags in the 160k
stream, we will continue to downlink them in the 5k when we have contact.
Because of this, I cannot stress enough that people should make all
requests for MDI observations as early as possible to ensure that MDI can
give ANY support to the study.
All requests for MDI support need to be made several months ahead of
time and sent to mdi-ops@mdisas.nascom.nasa.gov.
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.
UVCS:
See their planning page (below) and the SOHO calendar for weekly plans.
http://cfa-www.harvard.edu/uvcs/observations/obst.html
The following are listed because of NRT requirements or as candidates
for collaboration (with e.g. CDS):
* Mar 1-7 UVCS Observations of the North Coronal Hole
* Mar 8-14 UVCS Streamer Study
UVCS has not yet scheduled observation plans for the coming keyhole
period. We are waiting for the results of the trending analysis. We
may do some engineering studies or science observations to utilise
the continuous observing period in the keyhole.
SUMER:
Planner Week[s] of Scientific objective
Wilhelm 13 & 19 April Oscillations in Ly-continuum, spicules
Kucera 26 April Prominences
Curdt 02 May JOP 174 (AR loop dynamics, Oslo)
Innes 10 May JOP 174
Landi 17 May Coronal spectral atlas
Teriaca 24 May Explosive events, plumes,spicule JOP,
SOHO-Ulysses-quadrature
Also doing JOP104/MMOP007 as a TOO during the entire campaign.
CDS:
See their request diary for details
(http://solg2.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/scientificops/request.shtml)
LASCO/EIT:
See section 1 (boundary conditions) for EIT bakeouts/shutterless and
other special items.
Will observe at synoptic cadence through keyhole.
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.
TRACE will still be seeing Atmospheric Absorption through the month of
February even though the hard eclipses will be ending. During eclipse
season, TRACE will only load plans on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays. Daily loads will be resumed in March.
3. AOB
* Next SPWG: Friday March 26, right after weekly meeting in the EOF.
* There will be a SCOSTEP CAWSES (Climate and Weather of the Sun-Earth
System) campaign coincident with an Incoherent Scatter Radar (ISR) World
Days observing campaign. ISR world days will be March 29 - April 2 if
there is magnetic activity predicted or the fall-back dates of April
19-23 if not. They are asking for possibilities of collaborating w/SOHO.
We cannot see anything outside normal activities (though mind the
keyhole fort the first set of dates!) that would be of benefit, but we
are planning on sending the planners of the event a list of contacts for
SOHO instruments (for any questions they might have). The POCs would be
the same as for JOPs/SPWG.
* DSN support should be requested 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.
* If anyone has projects that require high-cadence MDI support, now is a
good time to ask! If you need MDI data, make sure you request it
specifically. There is no significant change in the shutter
performance over the last 10 months; monitoring continues, but no
immediate changes in operations are planned.
* Commanding outlook
Week 10 Mar 01-Mar 07: Gaps every day, Wednesday has morning commanding
only, DSS-27 every day except Wednesday and Friday
Week 11 Mar 08-Mar 14: Best commanding on Monday and Thursday. Large gaps
on other days. DSS-27 every day but Wednesday,
Friday and Saturday. Sunday contact ends at 20:30
UT.
Week 12 Mar 15-Mar 21: Mostly late afternoon and evening commanding this
week. Very long gaps all week. Check with SOCs for
ANY commanding during 34m keyhole (starts Friday).
Week 13 Mar 22-Mar 28: Downlink-only station on Saturday. Check with SOCs
for ANY commanding throughout this week.
Week 14 Mar 29-Apr 04: Check w/SOCs for ANY commanding this week.