SOHO SPWG Minutes



SPWG FINAL MINUTES
Friday 25 August 2006



1. Boundary conditions


a) Orbit, attitude and manoeuvres

- SOHO is currently upside down

- manoeuvres

  Sep 6        stationkeeping and momentum management (timing still TBC)

  Sep 11 or 12 roll (TBC)

  Dec 5         roll, stationkeeping and momentum management (timing TBC)


b) Communications with the spacecraft

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

  Bearing inspection of Goldstone 70 m was successful and it is back in
  operation.  Canberra 70 m inspection was also successful.  Madrid 70 m
  antenna is scheduled to be operational again as of 2 Jan 2007, possibly
  even earlier.

* Aug 21-Sep 20 26 m Keyhole 

* Aug 28-Sep 13 34 m Keyhole

- Due to severe delays in DSN schedule availability the September keyhole
  plan will be available only in a piecewise fashion.  The keyhole plan for
  weeks 34-35 (21 Aug - 3 Sep) is currently available as is the DSN
  schedule for week 36.  DSN schedule for weeks 37 and onwards should be
  available by 28 Aug, the (full) keyhole plan for the time period becoming
  available shortly thereafter.

- Outlook for the September keyhole remains bleak due to severe contention
  between several missions (e.g., Mars missions and the Stereo launch) for
  DSN 70 m station resources.  The need and approach to reduce FOT manpower
  requirements needed for complex operations during the keyhole also
  remains in effect (see, e.g., the previous SPWG minutes for details).
  Consequently the keyhole plan may be straightforward VGM (or even VG)
  for long periods of the keyhole.

* Nov 24-Dec 11 26 m keyhole

* Nov 27-Dec 8  34 m keyhole

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

  All available keyhole information is at
  http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyholes.html


c) KNOWN submode dependent activities/submode changes:

* TOO           JOP153/MMOP003 Future Major Flare Watch (SM5 if SUMER
                observes target, SM6 otherwise)
* TOO           JOP175 Extended Filaments at the Limb (see sect. 2a), SM6
* Aug 21-Sep 19 26 m Keyhole (Aug 28-Sep 13 34 m Keyhole), SM5/6
* Oct 18,25     EIT Shutterless #25, SM6, TBC
* Nov 1-Dec 15  SUMER Campaign, SM5, possibly just Nov 9-19
* Nov 8         Transit of Mercury, SM5/6
* Nov 24-Dec 11 26 m Keyhole (Nov 27-Dec 08 34 m Keyhole), SM5/6

- 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.

- SUMER plans an engineering campaign November 9-19. Detector testing 
  will be performed.  Communication with S/C experts has shown 'baking' 
  of the detector electronics is possible.

- Possible SUMER/EIS campaign in November.

--) #SUMER - changes, comments?

  EIT will probably be supporting JOP 159 only in the week or two before
  keyholes, at least as a test.  Still TBD for 304  support; will support
  with 195  CME watch otherwise.

- According to EIT the Mercury transit observations can be carried out in
  either submode 5 or 6.  Since SUMER does not plan to observe the transit
  (section 2a), higher-resolution observations are possible for EIT and
  required submode change timings need to be agreed upon.  FDF has provided
  the observational geometry data (see section 2).

- 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 Bakeout for the September keyhole 19 Aug 2006 00:00 UTC - 
  16 Sep 2006 (ending date TBC).

- EIT Bakeout for the December keyhole, timing TBD


e) Others

- TRACE eclipses

  TRACE is in its normal operations mode until the next 'eclipse
  season', which is estimated to start on 22 Sep 2006 (doy 265) and
  last through to 1 Mar 2007 (doy 60).


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
* 2002/04/25--  JOP159 CMEs in Lyman-alpha (#6870), SWAN/LASCO/EIT/UVCS,
                POC: Chris St Cyr, Eric Quemerais
* 2003/05/13--  Default CDS Co-observations with TRACE (#6950)
* 2003/07/01--  Network-Internetwork Oscillations (#7033), EIT/TRACE,
                POC: Scott McIntosh
* 2004/02/19--  JOP175 Extended Filaments at the Limb (#7135), 
                EIT/TRACE/LASCO/UVCS,
                POC: Chris St Cyr (Chris.StCyr@nasa.gov)
* 2005/09/20--  JOP153/MMOP003 Future Major Flare Watch (#8006)

  Campaign #6850 is for "individual instrument studies" selecting an
  AR 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,
  except JOP175 getting half/full-res 304 A CME watch in submode 5/6, and
  Network-Internetwork Oscillations which is TBD by Scott McIntosh.  As
  long as the spacecraft is in submode 6, all EIT CME watch will be in full
  res.  Major Flare Watches will be in full-res even if it requires a
  submode change, unless the target is observed by SUMER.

--) SUMER - changes, comments?

  A final, long run of campaign #7033 (Network-Internetwork Oscillations)
  will take place before the Solar-B launch.  When Solar-B participation in
  a campaign becomes possible, a new and modified campaign will be set up.
  This study has been removed from the TRACE calendar but will be
  reinserted if an explicit request is made.


* Aug 25-Sep 3  JOP178/JOP175 Filament and its Environment, 
                  MDI/CDS/EIT/TRACE/THEMIS/GBOs, 
                  POC: Brigitte Schmieder, TBC

  Overlaps with the September keyhole. MDI will try to support this
  for the first couple of days, but after that, no support is
  guaranteed.

  EIT is in bakeout the entire period, hence can not support after all.

  MDI can provide full-disk magnetograms and dopplergrams when high rate is
  available, unless high-resolution magnetograms are specifically
  requested.

  TRACE will support.

  CDS support will be limited due to the keyhole.


* Sep 18        Stereo Launch, TBC 

  See also section 3 and http://stereo.gsfc.nasa.gov/launch.shtml &
  http://www.nasa.gov/missions/highlights/schedule.html.  Coordinated
  observations between Stereo and SOHO seem feasible approximately 120 d
  after the launch (TBC).  Information will be provided as soon as it
  becomes available.  Simon Plunkett at NRL should be the contact for
  STEREO JOPs; the other three instruments are pretty much on or off only.


* Sep 23        Solar B launch, TBC

  Science observations (including some MDI, TRACE and possibly STEREO
  collaborations) are tentatively scheduled to begin approximately 45 d
  after the launch.  Spacecraft and launch site scheduling issues may push
  the launch from Sep to Nov-Dec time frame.


* Sep 27-Oct 6  Propagation of Low Frequency Waves & Spicule Formation, 
                  MDI/TRACE/SSO, POC: Bart DePontieu, TBC

  MDI has requested extra DSN coverage for 08-18 UTC. The DSN schedule for
  this time frame is being worked on, but has not been finalised yet.
  Default observation plan is high resolution magnetograms, dopplergrams
  and filtergrams (or some combination of the three).

  TRACE is supporting this request (TBC).


* Oct 11-15     MDI Continuous Contact

  No plans yet, default plan is full-disk magnetograms and
  dopplergrams.


* Oct 18,25     EIT Shutterless #25, TBC

  Shutterless #25 still TBC. DSN schedule for SOHO for this time frame has
  not been built yet.


* Oct 23        Dual sounding rocket launch for CELIAS/SEM, TIMED/SEE
                  and SDO/EVE cross-calibration, CELIAS/TRACE/TIMED/SDO,
                  POC: Andrew Jones, TBC

  Most up-to-date and detailed information on the launches (e.g.,
  instrument characteristics, launch windows) can be found at
  http://www-rcf.usc.edu/~arjones/rockets/OCT_06/SOHO-TIMED.html.

  This is an expanded repeat of 2005 Aug CELIAS/SEM calibration flight.
  The current best guess at launch times is:

  36.233US Oct. 23, 2006 at 17:47 UTC. (TIMED/SEE and SDO-EVE instruments)
  36.236US Oct. 23, 2006 at 19:26 UTC. (SOHO/SEM  instrument)

  Backup flight dates are 24-27 Oct.

  Request is for going to record for approximatly 10 min even if SOHO is
  in contact.  MDI is OK with this.

  TRACE would like to participate and has contacted the POC. TRACE has
  provided some rough estimates of our radiation periods for the time of
  the launch.

  CDS will run a full-disk spectral atlas (USUN).

--) #CELIAS - changes, comments?


* Oct 25-Nov 2  Facular Irradiance Characteristics: Sunspot Penumbral 
                  Filament and/or Light-Bridge Dynamics, MDI/TRACE/SSO, 
                  POC: Tom Berger, TBC

  MDI has requested extra DSN coverage for 08-18 UTC. DSN schedule for this
  Oct-Nov time frame has not, however, been built yet.  Default observation
  plan is high resolution magnetograms, dopplergrams and filtergrams (or
  some combination of the three).

  TRACE supports this request.


* Nov 1-Dec 15  SUMER Campaign

  Detector testing will be done Nov 9-19.  See section 1c.  If SOLAR-B is 
  in orbit and if the engineering activities allow, SUMER will try to run 
  some co-observations with EIS. SUMER team will not prepare a detailed 
  plan for this, but will react and decide on short notice.

--) #SUMER - changes, comments?



* Nov 8         Mercury Transit

  The Mercury transit in November will be seen by SOHO. The SOHO visibility
  information received from FDF on 14 Jul 2006 - i.e., the ingress,
  greatest transit, and egress points - are summarized below:

  The angular radius of the Sun as seen from SOHO will be 0.27137 deg, the
  lowest SOHO/Sun/Mercury angle will be 0.1153 deg.

  Ingress:
  I. (just touching outside) = 2006/11/08 20:09:32 UTC
  II. (just touching inside) = 2006/11/08 20:11:23 UTC

  Greatest Transit (closest approach of the centers): 2006/11/08  22:38:43 UTC
  This separation is 413.978 arc-sec

  Egress:
  III. (just touching inside)  = 2006/11/09 01:06:08 UTC
  IV. (just touching outside) = 2006/11/09 01:07:59 UTC

  Finally, Transit Total Duration: 4 h 58 min 27 s

  The FDF-provided data for the transit in 5 min increments can be found at
  http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/transits/mercury/20061108/ in HTML,
  text and Excel formats.

  All values above and in the spreadsheet are with respect to SOHO.

  For summary information on the view from Earth, see
  http://sunearth.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse/OH/image1/TM2006Nov08-Fig1.GIF.

  EIT will observe the transit.

  LASCO to observe Mercury through C3 and C2 fields.  TBC.

  MDI can observe the transit and requests SOHO not to be in record.
  Obtaining observations of the November 2006 Mercury transit is extremely
  important to MDI, specifically for solar radius measurements.  The only
  other Mercury transit MDI has observed is the 2003 transit and the next
  Mercury transit won't be until 2016 (there will be a Venus transit in
  2012, but that is also rather far into the future...).  It is imperative
  that MDI get high rate observing for the entire transit and for a few
  hours on either side.  Knowledge on the status on the DSN schedule for
  the transit (whether enough DSN been requested for MDI to be in VC2 for
  ~10 h?).  MDI wants VC2 for the entire transit period (4 h 58 min 27 s)
  and for a few hours on either side.

  TRACE will be supporting with observation for Jay Pasachoff.  The transit
  occurs, however, during TRACE's eclipse season (see section 1e), hence
  support will depend on the exact timing and possible coincidence of the
  transit and a TRACE eclipse.

  CDS plans are under consideration, based on the 2003 transit.

  No SUMER observations planned during Mercury transit.

  The SOCs have requested that SOHO is in contact during the transit, i.e.,
  that SOHO has a baseline and backup DSN stations available.  DSN schedule
  for the time period has not been built yet, information will be provided
  to the instrument teams as soon as it becomes available.  Requests for
  additional DSN coverage will be submitted to DSN as soon as its schedule
  planning progresses to that timeframe.  Also, any updates on the
  FDF-provided information will be relayed to the instrument teams as soon
  as it becomes available.

  STEREO has expressed interest in also observing the transit and a JOP is
  being planned.


* Nov 8-12      MDI Continuous Contact

  Default plan is 1-min cadence, full disk magnetograms and dopplergrams.


* Dec 19--)2007 Exceptional Ulysses Quadrature (ends May 19, 2007)

  UVCS will encourage the lead observers to take advantage of the
  Ulysses-SOHO quadrature beginning this December when planning observation
  programs.  UVCS will schedule extra observation time devoted to this
  quadrature and said schedule will be made available to the SOHO SOCs.  A
  document from Steve Suess and Giannina Poletto discussing the
  Ulysses-SOHO quadrature geometry is available from Michael Uzzo and also
  at http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/UlyPosAng2007-2008.pdf.

  CDS support will be considered.


* Jan 5-7       MDI Continuous Contact

  Current default plan is full-disk magnetograms and dopplergrams.


* Feb 2-4       MDI Continuous Contact

  Current default plan is full-disk magnetograms and dopplergrams.


* April         SOHO/Solar-B, SOHO/STEREO campaigns

  FYI: SUMER is looking at a major campaign with Solar-B/EIS in 2007 April
  and the STEREO SECCHI people are also planning a two-week campaign (as of
  1 Apr 2007) in which they prefer EIT to be obtaining full-resolution
  images, resulting in potential conflict of requirements.  Given the
  six-month lead time for DSN scheduling, SECCHI needs to schedule their
  additional DSN support soon after STEREO launch.  This potential conflict
  needs to be resolved between the various PI's and collaborating
  spacecraft/instrument groups and as soon as feasible, taking also into
  account the recent and current delays in DSN scheduling.



b) Intercalibration activities

  Last Intercal 1: 16 August 2006

* 11-24 Sep ICAL01 (#7113), CDS/EIT, TBC

  Details and confirmation will be determined by the planners.

  Future ICALs are TBD. EIT: ICALs are OK except during the weeks of
  shutterless or of the Mercury transit.


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 now in FOC4 for better focus for high resolution observing.  We will
stay with this focus setting at least until November 2.


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://cfa-www.harvard.edu/uvcs/observations/obst.html.

See also the Exceptional Ulysses Quadrature (Dec 2006 -)) in section 2a.


CDS:

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


LASCO/EIT:

LASCO reduced exposure for Mercury pre and post the transit.  TBC.


SUMER:

See sections 1c and 2a.

--) #SUMER - changes, comments?


TRACE:

TRACE is in its normal operations mode until the next 'eclipse
season' (for estimated dates see section 1e).

NASA has announced that it plans to continue funding of TRACE
operations at close to the FY06 level through FY08, followed by a
significant ramping down of operations into FY09.

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.


3. Any other business



* Next SPWG:

Fri 29 Sep after Daily & Weekly meetings.


The rest are FYI items:

* If anyone has projects that require high rate (i.e. 1 minute 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.

* 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.

* Future Mercury and Venus transits: SOC is requesting the Flight Dynamics
Facility (FDF) to provide estimates and data for not only disk, but also
for coronal transits.  For this purpose FDF needs a criterion
(radial/angular distance from Solar disk centre) to define the coronal
transits.  Currently FDF has been instructed to use
SOHO/Sun/[Mercury,Venus] angle of (35 arcmin (from centre of Solar disk) as
criterion.  Instrument teams are requested to provide the SOC with
information on whether a larger angle is applicable.