SOHO SPWG Minutes



SPWG FINAL MINUTES
Friday 26 March 2004

1. Boundary conditions


* SOHO is "upside down" until the manoeuvre on 30 March. It will include a
  station keeping (SK), momentum management (MM), and a 180 degree roll,
  using a total of 0.0750 kg of fuel. After the manoeuvre, SOHO will again
  be "right side up" (roll angle 0 degrees).

  The following manoeuvre is tentatively scheduled for June 22.

* 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

* 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 03        High Rate on 26m stations resumes, TBC

* Sep 12        High Rate on 26m stations ends, TBC
* Sep 17        High Rate on 34m stations ends, TBC
* Oct 01        High Rate on 34m stations resumes, TBC
* Oct 05        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 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, w/recordings) for the March/April keyhole
  can be found at http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyhole.mar04. We are
  attempting to capture continuous data sets for both GOLF and
  VIRGO. This is possible even with some ground problems (using
  contingency recordings). So far, the plan appears to have worked.

  A plot of the SSR and TR usage, etc, can be found at
  http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyhole_mar04.pdf.  For a basic and
  slightly outdated explanation of the plot, see AOB section of
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/operations/SPWG/spwg-20031219.html.

  The first loss of VC1 occurred at about 16:30-17:07 UT on March 19 (due
  to a combination of a ground problem and keyhole constraints), with no
  impact to GOLF and VIRGO.  The last expected loss of VC1 ends on April 3
  at 23:05 UT.

  ESA's New Norcia ground station in western Australia has had a
  successful shadow pass and the data looks good. No support passes are
  expected during this keyhole.

  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. The current work schedule will have the
  patch ready just in time for the June keyhole. Plans for dealing with
  the keyhole without the patch will also be made.

  If it is finished according to schedule, the patch will be tested,
  shortly before the June keyhole.  The test plan will be worked out
  between MDI, GOLF and VIRGO in particular as well as the other
  instruments (they lose data during the test even if everything is ok,
  since they're not recorded and what goes into the recorder is also
  what comes out the antenna as VC0/1), but it is too early to say how
  the test will be performed. We will also consult with instruments to
  schedule the patch itself. If the patch is somewhat delayed, the test
  time will depend on whether or not it is feasible to do so without
  breaking the continuity of GOLF and VIRGO data (assuming it is
  possible to preserve that continuity without using the patch).

* 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
  Jul 7-Sep 6   MDI 60 Day Continuous Contact

* ALL KNOWN submode dependent activities & submode schedule:

* TOO           JOP175 Extended Filaments at the Limb (see sect. 2a)
* Apr 14-Jun 17 SUMER campaign and MEDOC campaign #13
* Jun 2         EIT Shutterless 20:00-22:40 UT
* Aug 25        EIT Shutterless, TBC
* Sep 1         EIT Shutterless, TBC
* Nov 24        EIT Shutterless, TBC
* Dec 1         EIT Shutterless, TBC

  Submodes: Submode 6 until April 13
            Submode 5 until June 17 EXCEPT FOR EIT shutterless on
                            June 2, SM change times TBD
            Submode 6 (until further notice)

  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/Other (shutterless obs listed under "Submode dependent
  activities" from now on):

* Mar 18-Apr 4  EIT Bakeout

  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.

* 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.

  An ephemeris w/IDL tools, a plot, and other information is available
  at http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/venus2004/. The ephemeris will be
  updated after next S/K manoeuvre, and will also span about 1.5 days on
  each side of nearest approach (to accommodate UVCS observations).

  The Venus transit will be observed by SUMER, CDS, EIT, UVCS and LASCO.
  We will be in Submode 5 during the Venus transit. The SUMER
  observations will require (shared, w/pauses) NRT from 08 UT - 20 UT.
  UVCS observations will span June 7-9, with a 9-hour exclusion centred
  on the closest approach.

  As a result, we currently expect to be in record at least between 08
  UT and 20 UT, with pauses for dumping magnetograms. Due to UVCS' 
  observations, the record times will likely be extended beyond that,
  but still preserving MDI's magnetograms.

  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.

  We will ask to have the FOT SVM Reserved Time be after the SUMER
  observations finish, ~20 UT.

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.

  SUMER may join in since this JOP seems to be compatible with JOP104.


* Mar/Apr       JOP172 Coronal Micro-Events, RHESSI/TRACE/CDS/MDI/EIT,
                  POC: Karel Schrijver (schryver@lmsal.com), TOO

  The TRACE annealing was a success, so this study is now on the
  table. MDI will support it as long as it doesn't conflict with
  continuous contacts or keyholes. Note the current keyhole(!).

  CDS would like to have a few weeks notice.

* Mar 29-Apr 2  Incoherent Scatter Radar, SCOSTEP CAWSES/LASCO

  LASCO will be closing for the manoeuvre, on Mar 29 11:00 UT.  Will
  reopen ~20:00 UT March 31.  After that synoptic cadence in C2 C3 for
  the program.

* Apr 14-May 30 JOP104/MMOP007 X-ray flows and coronal micro-events, SUMER

  The JOP description has been updated (minor changes, highlighted in
  red on the JOP pages).

* Apr 26-May 1  Prominence Observations, 
                  SUMER/CDS/TRACE/HelioResearch/Udaipur, POC: Terry Kucera

  From TRACE calendar/SUMER plans. More GBOs are expected.


* May 2-16      JOP174 Condensation and Temporal Variation in AR Loops,
                  SUMER/TRACE/CDS/EIT/MDI/SST,
                  POC: Terje.Fredvik@astro.uio.no

  The final JOP description is now on the SOHO web pages.

  MDI and EIT synoptic data will be used for target selection purposes
  only.

  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). For SUMER support, a JOP104-compatible
  target is needed.

  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)

  MDI can support with 1 minute mags, full disk or high res.

* May 4-15      AR Loops on Limb, SUMER/CDS, 
                  POC: Davina Innes (innes@linmpi.mpg.de), TBC

This is a new request for CDS. Due to overbooking, they will not be able
to support in general, but limited support on selected days may be
possible depending on the schedule of the other JOPs.

* 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.

  SUMER will support, but need more details.

* May 23-Jun 6  Ulysses Quadrature


* May 24-27     TR Explosive Events, MDI/SUMER/Sac Peak,
                  POC: Luca Teriaca, TBC

  CDS will support this.

  Sac Peak support has been confirmed.

  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.

* Jun 26-Jul 9  Irradiance Variations, TRACE/SST, POC: Thomas.Berger@lmco.com

  There is a chance MDI can support this after the keyhole, before the
  continuous contact starting July 7.

* Jul 8-15      JOP171 Solar Network Variability and Dynamics, TBC,
                  CDS/TRACE/EIT/MDI/VTT/DOT, 
                  POC: Hubertus Woehl (hw@kis.uni-freiburg.de)

From CDS' request page. There is a small chance of a conflict with
another study with VLA, to be solved if/when it arises.

Uses only synoptic observations from EIT; can be shifted if necessary.

MDI will be starting a 60 Day CC on July 7.  If the requested
observations do not conflict with the CC plans, we can support JOP171.

* Oct 5-15      Photospheric/Chromospheric Motions near Sunspots/Filaments,
                  TRACE/MDI/DOT/Meudon/Pic du Midi,
                  POC: Thierry Roudier (roudier@bigorre.bagn.obs-mip.fr), TBC

  More input is expected from Roudier. The dates October 5-15 were
  reported by Thierry through MDI.

  MDI is willing to support this as long as it does not conflict with
  keyholes or continuous contacts.

* 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.

  EIT assumes it will only be run in Submode 6 periods.

* Note that Brigitte Schmieder's JOPs have been postponed

* Note that Karin Muglach's JOP173 has been moved:

* Nov 23-Dec 2  JOP173 3D Structure and Dynamics of Sunspots,
                  07:00-22:00 UT, TRACE/MDI/VTT/THEMIS/SST/DOT/DST/MST,
                  POC: Karin Muglach (muglach@nrl.navy.mil)

  The JOP description has also been updated (minor details,
  e.g. regarding the fact that it will be run during TRACE eclipse
  season).

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 (#7030)

  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.

  SUMER has contacted the MM chief observer to express their preference
  for limb targets (in case of several possible targets) during the
  spring campaign.

b) Intercalibration activities

Last Intercal 1: March 09 (Week 11)

* Apr 7         Intercal 1, CDS/EIT, TBC

c) Individual instrument plans

MDI:

  See section 1 (boundary conditions) for MDI continuous contact
  periods.

  MDI is downlinking magnetograms in the 5k data stream during the
  March/April keyhole.

  For the remainder of the March 2004 Keyhole, 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 or whenever recorded
  VC1 is dumped.  The MDI team has not decided how to proceed once the
  SSR/TR patch is in use during keyholes (we do not know if we will
  still downlink some Mags in the 5k at that point).  Will the SSR/TR
  patch be tested before the next keyhole, assuming it's ready in time?
  Can we get a plan drafted for a test?

  SOC reply: See new paragraph under section 1.

  All requests for MDI support need to be made several months ahead of
  time and sent to mdi-ops@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.

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):

* Apr 8-15      UVCS Observations of the South Coronal Hole
* Apr 16-30     UVCS Streamer Study

  UVCS is in a safe configuration for the current 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.  See
  comments in previous section.

CDS:
  See their request diary for details:
    http://solg2.bnsc.rl.ac.uk/scientificops/request.shtml

  Will be running JOP171 during MEDOC (with Peter Gomory as POC) and
  July 8-15 with VTT/TRACE/DOT.  Davina Innes' study will be run on
  three days between April 12-23.  The request diary has been updated.

LASCO/EIT:

* Jun 3-13      LASCO Venus Observations, 2 hours per day

  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.

  Target of Opportunity studies (not mentioned above):

  Network-Internetwork Oscillations (INO) study on quiet sun at disk
    center, or equatorial coronal hole (followed across the disk) 
  High Cadence UV program (POC: Karin Muglach (muglach@nrl.navy.mil))

  Will be testing the Venus program during the first week of May

3. AOB

* Next SPWG: Friday April 30, right after weekly meeting in the EOF.

* 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.

* SOHO Technical Note 585: Explanation of the 10 Hz FPSS Telemetry
  Artefacts

  Anyone interested in this technical note please ask SOCs for a
  copy. The artefacts have been known to occur since before launch,
  this is simply the final word on why they occur.


* Commanding outlook:

Week 14 Mar 29-Apr 04: Check w/SOCs for ANY commanding this week.

Week 15 Apr 05-Apr 11: Large morning gap on Monday, best commanding 
                       on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.  DSS-27 on
                       Wednesday and Saturday.  

Week 16 Apr 12-Apr 18: Best commanding on Thursday and Friday.  DSS-27
                       on Monday through Wednesday.

Week 17 Apr 19-Apr 25: Best commanding on Thursday and Sunday; morning
                       DSN gaps on other days.  DSS-27 on Monday through 
                       Wednesday and Saturday.

Week 18 Apr 26-May 02: Best commanding Wednesday through Saturday.
                       DSS-27 on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.