The CHARA Array Wiki

User Tools

Site Tools

Trace:
chara:operating_procedures

Differences

This shows you the differences between two versions of the page.

Link to this comparison view

Both sides previous revision Previous revision
Next revision Both sides next revision
chara:operating_procedures [2021/11/04 16:09]
charaobs 		chara:operating_procedures [2021/11/04 16:53]
charaobs
Line 91: Line 91:
 2.1 Starting the vacuum pump for the light pipes 2.1 Starting the vacuum pump for the light pipes
  
-Go into vacuum pump shack. Flip on power switch for pump (wait for blower to go on) Open valve slowly (parallel to pipe means open) Note if fan cords are plugged into wall outlet to keep pumps cool. Note oil temperature when you start up. Oil temps below 20º C make for a labored start. Inform Larry if the oil temp is low and the heater did not run to bring the temp up before starting.\\+Go into vacuum pump shack. Flip on power switch for pump (wait for blower to go on) Open valve slowly (parallel to pipe means open) Note if fan cords are plugged into wall outlet to keep pumps cool. Note oil temperature when you start up. Oil temps below 15º C make for a labored start. There is currently a block heater on the north side of the pump and a space heater on the south side.  Inform Larry if the oil temp is low and the heaters did not run to bring the temp up before starting.\\
 Go into lab building, check pressures on Vacmon display. If pressure is higher than 100 torr in any of the lines, pump those lines only one at a time. Open valve a little, then come back to open fully. When all lines to be used are well below 100 torr, open all those valves. The final pressure should be 0.5 - 1.0 Torr in each line. The pump will normally bring all 6 lines down to .2-.3 Torr. The S1 and S2 lines leak the most during the day and will read the highest in the afternoon when you return, usually between 10-20 Torr in the summer and 20-30 Torr in the winter. Note any unusual vacuum readings as they can indicate a leak beyond what is normal. Sometimes a line isn't pumped down the night before and can read higher than 30 Torr. Pump the highest ones down first as stated above. Go into lab building, check pressures on Vacmon display. If pressure is higher than 100 torr in any of the lines, pump those lines only one at a time. Open valve a little, then come back to open fully. When all lines to be used are well below 100 torr, open all those valves. The final pressure should be 0.5 - 1.0 Torr in each line. The pump will normally bring all 6 lines down to .2-.3 Torr. The S1 and S2 lines leak the most during the day and will read the highest in the afternoon when you return, usually between 10-20 Torr in the summer and 20-30 Torr in the winter. Note any unusual vacuum readings as they can indicate a leak beyond what is normal. Sometimes a line isn't pumped down the night before and can read higher than 30 Torr. Pump the highest ones down first as stated above.
  
Line 106: Line 106:
 2.3.2 Laser alignment to east table 2.3.2 Laser alignment to east table
  
-Check the laser spots on the E table target at North wall of Beam Switching area. On Laser Filter gui, select ND 0.0  Open LASER shutter on the SHUTTERS gui and open shutters for the beams you are going to use. Using the VISBEAMS gui, move the laser to the first beam pair you will check, ie. Beams 1&2. Using the Beam Samplers gui, move beam samplers off of the beams you will align. Check each spot that is going to be used on each pair (for ex. 1&2, 2&3, 3&4, etc.) Use Pico3 gui to center laser dots on cross hairs. Be mindful of which pair was selected with VISBEAMS. (1&2-2 and 2&3-2 appear at the same spot, but different pieces of optics are involved) Use the Beam Samplers gui to put telescopes back on the appropriate beams. Note that when multiple telescope/beam configurations are requested, aligning to the secondary configuration or back up telescopes first, then finishing with the primary configuration may be more efficient.\\+Check the laser spots on the E table target at North wall of Beam Switching area. On Laser Filter gui, select ND 0.0 Open LASER shutter on the SHUTTERS gui and open shutters for the beams you are going to use. Using the VISBEAMS gui, move the laser to the first beam pair you will check, ie. Beams 1&2. Using the Beam Samplers gui, move beam samplers off of the beams you will align. Check each spot that is going to be used on each pair (for ex. 1&2, 2&3, 3&4, etc.) Use Pico3 gui to center laser dots on cross hairs. Be mindful of which pair was selected with VISBEAMS. (1&2-2 and 2&3-2 appear at the same spot, but different pieces of optics are involved) Use the Beam Samplers gui to put telescopes back on the appropriate beams. Note that when multiple telescope/beam configurations are requested, aligning to the secondary configuration or back up telescopes first, then finishing with the primary configuration may be more efficient.\\
 If the telescopes were used on the same beam on the previous night, the next steps may be very close and should not need much if any adjustment.\\ If the telescopes were used on the same beam on the previous night, the next steps may be very close and should not need much if any adjustment.\\
 \\ \\
Line 122: Line 122:
 2.3.6 M10 Alignment 2.3.6 M10 Alignment
  
-Go to a computer anywhere to check the beam remotely at the telescopes. Check Vacuum Monitor that the vacuum is below 20 torr. Open telescope gui from pull down menu. Click TV [ON] to open the camera window and click [M10AL] to change view to the M10 alignment view, click [M7 open] to open the M7 mirror cover. Center bright spot in beam on the black reference spot. (Note that S2 has a double spot in the center and a single spot to the lower right.  The double spot is the correct one.)  You may need to adjust the IRIS or the TV brightness to see the bright spot well. [BEAM] cycles the iris from open to closed and gives a good idea of where the center of the spot is. To adjust the position, use Pico 2 to select, for example, E2M10 → [MOVE] (use large steps ~ 100). Note that the up, down, left, and right buttons do no correspond to the actual directions the spot will move. When the spot is centered, click [M7 close] to close the mirror cover * click TV [OFF] to close the window+Go to a computer anywhere to check the beam remotely at the telescopes. Check Vacuum Monitor that the vacuum is below 20 torr. Open telescope gui from pull down menu. Click TV [ON] to open the camera window and click [M10AL] to change view to the M10 alignment view, click [M7 open] to open the M7 mirror cover. Center bright spot in beam on the black reference spot. (Note that S2 has a double spot in the center and a single spot to the lower right. The double spot is the correct one.) You may need to adjust the IRIS or the TV brightness to see the bright spot well. [BEAM] cycles the iris from open to closed and gives a good idea of where the center of the spot is. To adjust the position, use Pico 2 to select, for example, E2M10 → [MOVE] (use large steps ~ 100). Note that the up, down, left, and right buttons do no correspond to the actual directions the spot will move. When the spot is centered, click [M7 close] to close the mirror cover * click TV [OFF] to close the window
  
 \\ \\
Line 139: Line 139:
 For CLIMB 1 and CLIMB 2, the removable 6-beam target should be placed in the clamps on the CLIMB table. This also applies to aligning CLIMB for fringe tracking for VEGA or fringe finding for PAVO.\\ For CLIMB 1 and CLIMB 2, the removable 6-beam target should be placed in the clamps on the CLIMB table. This also applies to aligning CLIMB for fringe tracking for VEGA or fringe finding for PAVO.\\
 \\ \\
-For MIRCX, the same target should be placed in the clamps on the MIRCX table. Place the target to the appropriate table, making sure it seats firmly in the clamps. Place the small corner cubes (labeled) on their bases at the BRTs. Make sure they seat firmly and correctly. Open IR shutters, send laser light using VISBEAMS gui to the position you want to check. Use a tablet to bring up Pico 2 gui. Click on icon or in xterm type: xpico2. Select the appropriate IR mirror for the beam you are about to adjust. For ex: S1IR. The Beam Sampler gui tells you which telescope is in the beam you are aligning. When done for all telescope to be used, remove target and place it above the CLASSIC/CLIMB table and remove corner cubes from their stands and place them to the side of the beam path.  Remove the labao camera covers after you remove the corner cubes from their bases.+For MIRCX, the same target should be placed in the clamps on the MIRCX table. Place the target to the appropriate table, making sure it seats firmly in the clamps. Place the small corner cubes (labeled) on their bases at the BRTs. Make sure they seat firmly and correctly. Open IR shutters, send laser light using VISBEAMS gui to the position you want to check. Use a tablet to bring up Pico 2 gui. Click on icon or in xterm type: xpico2. Select the appropriate IR mirror for the beam you are about to adjust. For ex: S1IR. The Beam Sampler gui tells you which telescope is in the beam you are aligning. When done for all telescope to be used, remove target and place it above the CLASSIC/CLIMB table and remove corner cubes from their stands and place them to the side of the beam path. Remove the labao camera covers after you remove the corner cubes from their bases.
  
 2.5 Final steps in the lab 2.5 Final steps in the lab
Line 168: Line 168:
 After the 30 minute warmup, press the Metro button which will power up the Metrology cage, the laser repeater and the oscilloscope. When button indicator is green, you can proceed to the next step. After the 30 minute warmup, press the Metro button which will power up the Metrology cage, the laser repeater and the oscilloscope. When button indicator is green, you can proceed to the next step.
  
-Press the Start button near the bottom. This will start up the computers, and the first stage of hardware and takes about 90 seconds to complete. The grey buttons will turn yellow with a blue icon when the computers have started up, but not loaded the drivers yet. They will then turn solid yellow when they are ready for the next step and have loaded all the drivers.  (Note: E1 has often failed to start and will need to be powered on manually by the rocker switch behind the right, front cover of the E1 ople computer)+Press the Start button near the bottom. This will start up the computers, and the first stage of hardware and takes about 90 seconds to complete. The grey buttons will turn yellow with a blue icon when the computers have started up, but not loaded the drivers yet. They will then turn solid yellow when they are ready for the next step and have loaded all the drivers. (Note: E1 has often failed to start and will need to be powered on manually by the rocker switch behind the right, front cover of the E1 ople computer)
  
 Once all 6 are solid yellow, right click on each yellow dot, and select start. This loads the control software and will turn the button green. Once all 6 are green, you are ready to start the OPLE server. Once all 6 are solid yellow, right click on each yellow dot, and select start. This loads the control software and will turn the button green. Once all 6 are green, you are ready to start the OPLE server.
  
-Once the OPLE server has fully started, (IF running MIRC) please check sockman for CHAMPtoMet. If it is running, then MIRC is ok to start. If it is not running, log into the ople computer and run the command : CHAMPtoMet This is case sensitive.+If using the CHAPMtoMet feature, once the OPLE server has fully started, please check sockman for CHAMPtoMet. If it is running, then MIRC is ok to start. If it is not running, log into the ople computer and run the command : CHAMPtoMet This is case sensitive.
  
-Now the MIRC server is ok to start.  Be sure to inform the MIRCX/MYSTIC PI that you are done in the lab and that it is ok to start any alignments or STS recording that is desired.+Now the MIRC server is ok to start. Be sure to inform the MIRCX/MYSTIC PI that you are done in the lab and that it is ok to start any alignments or STS recording that is desired.
  
 \\ \\
Line 196: Line 196:
 3.4 Open Telescope guis, or obsgtks from icons on desktop 3.4 Open Telescope guis, or obsgtks from icons on desktop
  
-3.5 Open GUIs required for observing from the menu under GTK or the desktop icons: Open Primary OPLE gui, Open Classic, Climb1, or Climb2 gui if needed, Open LDC1 and LDC2 if PAVO program is observing.  If using Lab Tiptilt, open Tiptilt GUI.+3.5 Open GUIs required for observing from the menu under GTK or the desktop icons: Open Primary OPLE gui, Open Classic, Climb1, or Climb2 gui if needed, Open LDC1 and LDC2 if PAVO program is observing. If using Lab Tiptilt, open Tiptilt GUI.
  
 3.6 Using the Cosmic Debris job sequencer 3.6 Using the Cosmic Debris job sequencer
  
-Open Cosmic Debris, CD for short, from the desktop icon. On the CONFIGURE tab, check to make sure the PoPs and telescope beam assignments agree with the white board or the setup email. If the POPs are wrong on CD, then open the "PoPs" gui, click on the [Overview] button on the PoPs gui. If nonsense comes up in the overview, then click [FLUSH] and then [REOPEN] on the PoPs gui, then click [UPDATE] on the PoPs Overview. If the PoPs Overview is now correct, then click the [GET] button on the CD Control Tab, this should update the PoPs. If the beams are not assigned correctly, move the beams accordingly to the proper telescope using the BeamSampler GUI and click [GET] on CD to update. These values can all be set manually if the GET function does not set them correctly.  Select the active telescopes on the tab labeled "Configure", choose a suitable reference cart, using the same one from the night before to make fringe finding easier. After everything is set correctly, then click [SEND] on Cosmic Debris to send the active scope information to Ople.\\+Open Cosmic Debris, CD for short, from the desktop icon. On the CONFIGURE tab, check to make sure the PoPs and telescope beam assignments agree with the white board or the setup email. If the POPs are wrong on CD, then open the "PoPs" gui, click on the [Overview] button on the PoPs gui. If nonsense comes up in the overview, then click [FLUSH] and then [REOPEN] on the PoPs gui, then click [UPDATE] on the PoPs Overview. If the PoPs Overview is now correct, then click the [GET] button on the CD Control Tab, this should update the PoPs. If the beams are not assigned correctly, move the beams accordingly to the proper telescope using the BeamSampler GUI and click [GET] on CD to update. These values can all be set manually if the GET function does not set them correctly. Select the active telescopes on the tab labeled "Configure", choose a suitable reference cart, using the same one from the night before to make fringe finding easier. After everything is set correctly, then click [SEND] on Cosmic Debris to send the active scope information to Ople.\\
 Set the instrument and settings on Cosmic Debris. On the "Control" tab on Cosmic Debris, select the beam combiner or combiners to be used. If using CLIMB or CLASSIC, also select the filter (H,K') and beams (1/2, 2/3, 3/1). Set the instrument and settings on Cosmic Debris. On the "Control" tab on Cosmic Debris, select the beam combiner or combiners to be used. If using CLIMB or CLASSIC, also select the filter (H,K') and beams (1/2, 2/3, 3/1).
  
Line 283: Line 283:
 5.1 Opening the Telescope Domes and enclosures\\ 5.1 Opening the Telescope Domes and enclosures\\
 \\ \\
-You can begin opening the telescope domes and enclosures about an hour or two before sunset. This will help air out the domes and improve seeing at the start of the night. Hot days benefit from an earlier opening to allow the scopes to cool. Before opening the domes make sure to check the current weather conditions and the forecast to make sure conditions are safe to open and are likely to be stable as you wait for it to get dark. Also confirm that Judit or Robert have finished the alignments in the lab as opening the domes will not allow the completion of the beacon alignments. Call the computer room at #424 if you do not see either of them. Monitor the progress of opening the domes by turning the televisions [ON] using the telescope GUIs. Click [SPY1] to view the dome slit. In the summer, when the sun is higher overhead, use the Dome GUI for each telescope to position the domes in the anti-sun position using the RA/DEC tab and the ANTI-SUN setting for AUTODOME. This will position the dome slit opposite the sun so that you can open the slit well before sunset. You may also go to the Dome Tab on the Dome GUI, enter 100 in the text box on the right, and press [GOTO]. This will move the dome slit to the east. When the domes are facing east (and all lab alignments are finished), click [SLIT OPEN] on the Control Tab of the telescope GUI to open the dome slit. On the enclosure GUI, click the [OBSERVE] button to open the lower cylinders to the observe position. Wait for the slit and enclosures to open to .300 and then wait for the sun to go down.+You can begin opening the telescope domes and enclosures at least two hours before sunset. The white board has times written down that the domes can be fully opened.  This happens when the sun is below 35º.  Before this time, the domes can be vented by partially opening them. This will help air out the domes and improve seeing at the start of the night. Hot days benefit from an earlier opening to allow the scopes to cool. Before opening the domes make sure to check the current weather conditions and the forecast to make sure conditions are safe to open and are likely to be stable as you wait for it to get dark. Also confirm that Robert or Narsi have finished the alignments in the lab or the control room as opening the domes may interupt their alignments. Call the computer room at #424 if you do not see either of them. Monitor the progress of opening the domes by turning the televisions [ON] using the telescope GUIs. Click [SPY1] to view the dome slit. In the summer, when the sun is higher overhead, use the Dome GUI for each telescope to position the domes in the anti-sun position using the RA/DEC tab and the ANTI-SUN setting for AUTODOME. This will position the dome slit opposite the sun so that you can open the slit well before sunset. You may also go to the Dome Tab on the Dome GUI, manually enter an anti-sun azimuth value from 70º-110º in the text box on the right, and press [GOTO]. This will move the dome slit to the east and opposite the sun. When the domes are facing east (and all labalignments, dichroic changes or coude alignments are finished), click [UNL SL] and [SLIT] on the Control Tab of the obsgtk GUI to open the dome slit fully. If opening very early, use [UNL SL] and [VENT] to open it halfway.  Be sure to open them fully when the sun has reached 35º for maximum cooling. 
 + 
 +[NOT YET OPERATIONAL]  On the enclosure GUI, click the [OBSERVE] button to open the lower cylinders to the observe position. Wait for the slit and enclosures to open to .300 and then wait for the sun to go down.
  
 5.2 Opening telescope optics\\ 5.2 Opening telescope optics\\
chara/operating_procedures.txt · Last modified: 2023/09/01 02:50 by gail_stargazer

Page Tools

Except where otherwise noted, content on this wiki is licensed under the following license: CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International
CC Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International Donate Powered by PHP Valid HTML5 Valid CSS Driven by DokuWiki