SOHO SPWG Minutes



SPWG FINAL MINUTES
Friday 7 May 2004

  

1. Boundary conditions


* SOHO is "right side up" (roll angle zero) until the next manoeuvre,
  tentatively scheduled for 22 June.

* 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 30        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.

  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 updated DSN schedule for the June keyhole can be found at 

	http://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/soc/keyhole.jun04. 

  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.

  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). 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 cannot be used for the June keyhole, GOLF and VIRGO
  measurements can still be made continuous by taking advantage of
  their redundant data streams.

  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.

* 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 24-Jun 6  MDI Continuous Contact (High Resolution campaign)
  Jul 4-Sep 5   MDI 60 Day Continuous Contact (Full Disk Mags and Doppler)

  The baseline plans are as stated above, and other types of observations are
  not likely even if requested for collaborations. As usual, 96 minute
  magnetograms will be available.

* 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 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 science planning for
  the Shutterless may be coordinated from MEDOC, though. See this web
  page for details: http://www.medoc-ias.u-psud.fr/operations/cmp13/

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

* Jun 20-Jul 1  EIT Bakeout, TBC

  NOTE: This is only a suggestion from SOCs, based on the first/last
  days of significant VC0/1 losses duuring the summer
  keyhole. Operational constraints have not been considered.

* 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/. We had planned on having a
  new ephemeris just in time for this meeting, but due to the recent ESRs
  this has been delayed until the end of Week 20 (May 14). This will allow
  a new orbit determination after the ESR and station keeping manoeuvre to
  be used. The updated ephemeris will span 3.5 days centered on the time
  of closest 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

Continuing campaigns:

*               JOP136 Default RHESSI Collaborations (#6850), POC:Stein Haugan
*               Default CDS Co-observations with TRACE (#6950) 
*               JOP153/MMOP003 Major Flare Watch (#7030)
*               JOP159 CMEs in Lyman-alpha (#6870), SWAN/LASCO/EIT/UVCS,
                  POC: Chris St Cyr, Eric Quemerais
* Feb-Sep 2004  Quiescent AR Loop Diagnostics (#7019), CDS/TRACE/EIT/SUMER, 
                  POC: Helen Mason (h.e.mason@damtp.cam.ac.uk), 
                  Local POC: CDS Planner
*               JOP175 Extended Filaments at the Limb, EIT/TRACE/LASCO/UVCS, 
                  POC: Chris St Cyr (Chris.StCyr@nasa.gov)
*               Network-Internetwork Oscillations (#7033), EIT/TRACE, 
                  POC: Scott McIntosh

  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.
  
  The running of the Quiescent AR Loops is left to the decision of the
  CDS planner.

  EIT supports all with half/full-res 195 Å CME watch in submode 5/6,
  except JOP175 getting half/full-res 304 Å CME watch in submode 5/6,
  and Network-Internetwork Oscillations which is TBD by Scott McIntosh.

  SUMER will join the Quiescent AR Loop Diagnostics as a separate
  study alternate to the JOP104 program.

* Mar-May       JOP172 Coronal Micro-Events (#7039), RHESSI/TRACE/CDS/MDI/EIT,
                  POC: Karel Schrijver (schryver@lmsal.com), TOO

  This is being run at the moment. CDS was unable to support earlier due to
  the ESRs. Efforts will be made to support it as time allows.

  Note: RHESSI is by default in the correct observing mode for this
  study: The attenuators are only used (autonomously by the spacecraft)
  when solar activity dictates. In other words, the scheduling can be
  left quite open.

* Apr 14-May 30 JOP104/MMOP007 X-ray Flows and Coronal Micro-Events (#7034),
                  SUMER/EIT/TRACE/RHESSI, POC: Werner Curdt

* Apr 30-May 14 Evolution of Bright Points (#7041), 
                  MDI/SST/TRACE,
                  POC: Mats.Carlsson@astro.uio.no, Local POC: Sarah Gregory

  SST support is primarily for this study, not JOP174, but there will
  be some coordination between the two studies.

  MDI supports w/high res or full disk mags and doppler, as appropriate.

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

  NOTE: JOP083 has been rescheduled for August 5-16

  CDS supports JOP174 as the main priority in this time interval.

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

  SUMER supports JOP 174, depending on availability of targets
  (decision made in real-time). For SUMER support, a JOP104-compatible
  target is needed.

* May 10-17     AR Loops on the Limb, SUMER/CDS,
                  POC: Davina Innes (innes@linmpi.mpg.de)

  Due to the postponement of JOP 83, there may be some time available
  for for this study.  However, other studies (e.g., delayed JOP 172)
  must also be run. A detailed allotting of time is left to the CDS
  planner.

  This study will run when SUMER does JOP104, preferably with JOP104 support
  from TRACE.

* May 17-23     Coronal Hole/Streamer Boundary, UVCS/LASCO/CDS/SUMER(TBC),
                  POC: Yuan-Kuen Ko
 
  LASCO and CDS have agreed to support, SUMER has just been requested to
  support it.

* May 23-Jun 6  Ulysses Quadrature, UVCS/SUMER

  No further information at the moment.

* May 15-23     Spicules, Mottles, and Jets, MDI/TRACE/SST,
                  POC: Bart De Pontieu (bdp@lmsal.com)

* May 24-27     Dynamics of Chromospheric Spicules, SUMER/TRACE/SST,
                  8-19 UT, POC: Jay Pasachoff, Local POC: Luca Teriaca

  (Note: Ending date changed from May 26 to May 27 after final minutes
  were mailed out).

* May 27-29     Spicules/Mottles/Jets, MDI/TRACE/SST,
                  POC: Bart De Pontieu (bdp@lmsal.com)

  The "Spicule JOP" listed earlier seems to have been an alias for the
  Dynamics of Chromospheric Spicules study.

* May 24-27     TR Explosive Events, MDI/SUMER/CDS/Sac Peak, 15-19 UT, 
                  POC: Luca Teriaca

  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 24 May, or any of the other
  studies we are supporting. The Continuous Contact will be a high
  resolution campaign, increasing the likelihood of support.

  Werner Curdt comments that MDI support would be very useful.

  MDI will support the Spicules/Mottles/Jets study as far as the May 24-27
  Continuous Contact allows, but hope to coordinate all 4 studies if possible.

* June 3-17 MEDOC Campaign #13

  FOR DETAILED PLANS, SEE:
  http://www.medoc-ias.u-psud.fr/operations/cmp13/calendar.html

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

  MDI can only support this with Full Disk Mags and Dopplergrams.

* 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 can only support with Full Disk Mags and Dopplergrams.

* Jul 29-Aug 4  JOP157 Bright Points in Active Regions, 
                  EIT/CDS/MDI/TRACE/RHESSI/THEMIS,
                  POC: brigitte.schmieder@obspm.fr

  Etienne Pariat is co-PI for this study.

  JOP012 is a back-up study for this period.
  
  CDS has a small chance of an overlap with a VLA study.

  EIT not mentioned in JOP description - assume synoptics plus CME
  watch will suffice.

  MDI can only support with Full Disk Mags and Dopplergrams.

* Aug 5-16      JOP083 High Cadence Activity and the Heating of Coronal Loops, 
                  CDS/TRACE/MDI, POC: Robert Walsh (robert@mcs.st-and.ac.uk)

  Moved from May.

  CDS has a small chance of an overlap with a VLA study.

  MDI can only support with Full Disk Mags and Dopplergrams.


* 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 should be able to support this study (no 5-day continuous contact in
  October).

* Oct 12-19     JOP012 Limb Prominences, CDS/MDI/TRACE/THEMIS/GBOs,
                  POC: Brigitte.Schmieder@obspm.fr

  SUMER has not yet made a decision about a SUMER fall campaign/MEDOC #14.
  
  SOC note: Apparently, SUMER is not requested to support this, since
  the study will mainly focus on filaments, not prominences. Note the
  amendment of the JOP description. An entirely new JOP to would be
  highly welcome, since the current state of affairs makes it quite
  likely that a mix-up will happen during the observations.

  MDI can support, believe they only want 96 minute magnetograms.

* Oct 18-23     CDS/HIDA Observations, CDS/HIDA, TBC

  Details to be provided by Tetsuya Watanabe.

* 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)

  MDI will likely be able to support this as long as it does not conflict with
  the beginning of the December 5 day CC, from 1-5 Dec.  HR Mag, Doppler and
  Filtergrams are requested.

b) Intercalibration activities

Last Intercal 1: May 5 (Week 19)

* Week 22         Intercal 1, CDS/EIT

  Exact day is left to weekly planners.

c) Individual instrument plans

MDI:

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

  MDI will continue to downlink Magnetograms via the 5k telemetry stream
  during Keyholes, as long as the SSR/TR patch is not complete.  Once the
  SSR/TR patch is complete, MDI will likely downlink a Magnetogram in the 5k
  telemetry stream 3 times per day in addition to having near-continuous
  medium-l data.  MDI will not store Magnetograms on board during this time,
  thus the normal vc2obs campaign that dumps stored Magnetograms will not be
  used, should we get VC2 at any time during the Keyhole.

  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 23-May 02 UVCS Streamer Study
* May 03-May 08 UVCS Observations of the North Coronal Hole
* May 09-May 15 UVCS Observations of High Latitude Coronal Holes
* May 16-22     UVCS Observations of a Coronal Hole/Streamer Boundary

SUMER:

  Planner   Week[s] of       Scientific objective

  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, spicules,
                            SOHO-Ulysses-quadrature

  Also doing JOP104/MMOP007 as a TOO during the entire campaign.  See
  comments in previous section.

  Udo Schuehle will be planner for the Venus Transit.

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.

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.

  The Venus program has been tested, details available at
  http://vestige.lmsal.com/TRACE/transits/venus_2004/

3. AOB


* Next SPWG: THURSDAY 27 May, right after the daily meeting in the EOF.

  We will try to have the draft minutes out by Wednesday the week
  before.

  Joe Gurman won't be able to make that date, and there may not be
  a TRACE representative.

The rest are FYI items:

* 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 19 May 03-May 09: Best commanding on Monday, Wednesday,
                       Friday and weekend.  D27 on Monday,
                       Tuesday and Thursday.

Week 20 May 10-May 16: Best commanding Tuesday, Wednesday and
                       Sunday.  D27 on Monday, Wednesday and
                       Sunday.

Week 21 May 17-May 23: Best commanding on Tuesday-Thursday and
                       weekend.  D27 on Monday, Tuesday and
                       weekend.

Week 22 May 24-May 30: Best commanding on Tuesday-Thursday and
                       Sunday.  MDI Continuous starts Wednesday.
                       D27 on Tuesday, Wednesday and Sunday.

Week 23 May 31-Jun 06: Good commanding all week.  MDI Continuous.
                       D27 on Monday, Thursday and weekend.