UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA OBSERVATORIES / LICK OBSERVATORY

Shane AO Operational Procedures

Daily Alignment | Beginning of Night | Laser Startup | NGS Ops | LGS Ops | TT Only Ops | WFS Only Ops | LGS to NGS

Daily Alignment

This procedure assumes that everything is in a basic functioning state, as is the case after doing the SAO startup procedures.

  1. If there is a new observing run starting today:
    1. Archive data as user@covert:
      archclear
      Select mon_sharcs.config (usually number 1 in the list) and say y to deleting archived files. If files aren't deleted, do troubleshooting of archive system before continuing.
    2. Set Obs# in sharcs_fe to 1.
  2. If an LGS night, check that PAM files have arrived from Space Command. If they have not arrived, call them at 805-605-6546 to determine the status.
  3. Process Laser Shutdowns: Procedure at LGStargetLists.html steps 6 and 7.
  4. Set up SAO:
    1. Check message log for SW-IOMMU messages.
    2. If no SW-IOMMU messages, turn on power to woofer and tweeter in saopower_ui (B5 and B6).
    3. Initialize: init(16)
    4. Set to NGS mode: ngs()
    5. Set WFS camera rate to 250: rate(250)
    6. Make sure all calibration sources are off (B7 and B8 in saopower_ui).
    7. Take a WFS camera background: dark()
    8. Set centroiding algorithm: cent('bin')
    9. Load appropriate refcent file: e.g. refcent('data/hs-2014-08-13-BINQUAD_16xLGS.fits')
    10. Insert White Light Source (WLS) using saomot_gui: set CalX and CalY to White Light.
    11. Turn on the WLS in saopower_ui (B8).
    12. Close loops: gain(.3)
  5. Configure ShARCS:
    1. Put in FeII filter using saowheels_gui (other wheels should be in the Open position).
    2. Open Window GUI from sharcs_fe: Windows - Window
    3. Set Window to 1120 1219 680 779 (startx endx starty endy)
    4. Set Exposure time to 0.11 second.
    5. Set Ncoadds to 3.
    6. Take exposure on ShARCS. If strehl >= 0.65 as measured with the FWHM tool and airy ring looks really round and even, image sharpening is not necessary. Otherwise do Image Sharpening.
  6. Image Sharpen (Script):
    1. Start scriptproc.tcl as user@covert if it isn't already running.
    2. Click File - imagesharpen. If imagesharpen is not in the list, click File - Source... and select imagesharpen.tcl.
    3. Select which modes you wish to sharpen. By default the first 3 modes, focus and astigmatisms, are selected. I recommend starting with those modes and only doing higher orders if necessary.
    4. Click Zero Modes if they aren't already all zero (this assumes you are starting from a reasonable refcent file).
    5. Make sure Auto Save Modes is selected if you want the new refcents files to be saved automatically.
    6. Make sure that NExpose is set to 1 in scriptproc.tcl's main window.
    7. Press the Go button.
  7. Image Sharpen (Manual mode):
    1. Start imageSharpen GUI as gavel@shade: imageSharpen
    2. Make sure FWHM box in sharcsdisplay is checked.
    3. Take exposure with ShARCS.
    4. Enter 0 in focval entry box in ImageBrowser GUI.
    5. Press focfitinit button GUI.
    6. Change mode X by 15 units in imageSharpen GUI.
    7. Take exposure with ShARCS.
    8. Enter 15 in focval entry box in ImageBrowser GUI.
    9. Press focfit button in ImageBrowser GUI.
    10. Change mode X by 15 unit.
    11. etc. for each mode.
    12. When done image sharpening, save the modes with a reasonable name, e.g. hs-2014-05-19_16xLGS.fits.
    13. Make sky refcent file from gavel@real, for example genSkyRefcents 16x hs-2014-08-13-BINQUAD_16xLGS.fits 1.0 where 1.0 is the seeing in arcsec.
  8. Make a new flat: save_flat()
    Note: Make sure that tx and ty on the woofer peeko display are each within +/- 0.1. If they aren't, move the CalX and CalY stage to make them zero. CalX alters ty, recommended move size 500. CalY alters tx, recommended move size 10.
  9. Save setups in saocon_gui.
    1. Click on Instrument setup name and select Save new setup....
    2. Use the default settings and click Save as....
    3. Save setup with file name ngs16bq.sao.
    4. Edit Refcents file name in saocon_gui to add _onSky, e.g. hs-2015-01-31-BINQUAD_16xLGS_onSky.fits.
    5. Save new setup (with default items checked) with filename ngs16bq-sky.sao. Note: you will probably want to save a new version of this setup later when you tune the system on sky and determine the proper gain.
    6. Change Operation mode to LGS in saocon_gui.
    7. Click Save new setup...
    8. Select additional fields to save:
      • Uplink
      • Uplink gain
      • TT gain
    9. Save as file name lgs16bq-sky. Note: you will probably want to save a new version of this setup later when you tune the system on sky and determine the proper gains (Tweeter+woofer, Uplink, and TT) for the observing conditions.
  10. Image Sharpen in other centroiders (e.g. 'cog','bin',and 'quad'):
    1. Change centroider: cent('cog') or cent('quad')
    2. Load appropriate refcent file: refcent('data/hs-2013-08-13-COG_16xLGS.fits')
    3. Image sharpen using either Script or Manual mode as described above.
    4. Save setups in saocon_gui as described above. You don't have to do sky and lgs versions for each of these, but keep in mind that if you use those setups during observing, the Refcents files and gains may be out of date.
  11. Setup SAO for 8xLGS mode for image sharpening
    1. Open Loops: open()
    2. Move Lenslet to 8x in saomot_gui.
    3. Initialize: init(8)
    4. Set to NGS mode: ngs()
    5. Turn off WLS, saopower_ui B8.
    6. Take a WFS camera background: dark()
    7. Turn on the WLS in saopower_ui B8.
    8. Set centroiding algorithm: cent('bin')
    9. Load appropriate refcent file: e.g. refcent('data/hs-2014-08-13-BINQUAD_8xLGS.fits')
    10. Close Loops: gain(.1)
  12. Take exposure on ShARCS. If Strehl >= 0.65 and image looks round, image sharpening is not necessary. If necessary, do the same image sharpening procedure as for 16x mode above.
  13. Get ready for observing and sky flats:
    1. Open loops: open()
    2. Turn off White Light Source in saopower_ui B8.
    3. Move CalY stage to Open in saomot_gui.
    4. Set ShARCS window to 0 2047 0 2047 (sx ex sy ey).
    5. Set Exposure Time to 1.5 sec.
    6. Set NCoadds to 1.
    7. Take exposure. This is because the first frame after a windowed exposure has bias artifacts from the windowing and this clears it for the observer.
    8. If new observer, zero exposure palette:
      1. Open Take Darks window in sharcs_fe (Windows - Take Darks).
      2. Click Clear Counts to set number of exposures to zero for each exposure configuration.
    9. Set diagonal mirror to position 3.
    10. Open telescope dome.
    11. Open mirror cover.
    12. Start skyflats about 30 minutes before sunset for broadband filters.

Beginning of Night Procedure

Note: You may want to repeat this procedure with 8x mode if looking at fainter guide stars, skipping the telescope focus and Fold1X and Y mirror adjustments.

  1. Load appropriate Instrument setup into ShaneAO loop control GUI, e.g. ngs16cog.
  2. If you have a good measurement of seeing, you should make an appropriate onSky refcent file by using genSkyRefcents:
    • As user@real: genSkyRefcents 16x refcentfile seeing
    • Example: genSkyRefcents 16x hs-2020-10-27-COG_16xLGS.fits 1.2
    • If doing 8x mode, substitute 8x for 16x
    • Load in new sky refcent file: e.g. refcent('data/hs-2020-10-27-COG_16xLGS_onSky.fits')
    Performance is often improved by taking into account the seeing, but not always.
  3. Move to bright (6.5 mag) star near zenith.
  4. Focus star on guide camera.
  5. Send light to SAO (diagonal mirror position 3).
  6. Move telescope 30 arcsec N (or some other direction to get sky).
  7. Take WFS camera dark: dark()
  8. Take TT camera dark if TT Dichroic is Splitter: ttdark()
  9. Move telescope 30 arcsec S (or undo previous move).
  10. Close loops: gain(.3)
  11. Adjust telescope focus until foc reading in peeko is close to zero or the value when loops are closed on the internal source.
  12. Adjust Fold1X and Fold1Y mirror to fine tune centering, making sure lr and ud in the peeko display are close to zero. Typical move is 0.5mm (500 encoder counts), though you may want to do moves as small at 0.2mm (200 encoder counts) for fine tuning.
  13. Run /u/user/observers/lgs/saocon_setups/seeing-logging.sh script if you have time.
  14. Adjust gain until happy with performance, taking images on ShARCS to evaluate Strehl.
  15. Open loop: open()
  16. Repeat gain tuning for other modes (e.g. ngs16bq, ngs8cog, etc.).
  17. Move to science target.

Laser Startup

  1. 24 hours before laser propagation, call FAA.
  2. One hour before laser propagation, email Space Command Laser Clearinghouse the Laser Status Report via the lgsStatusReports.tcl program entering the correct PT local times for laser operations start and stop times and laser status.
  3. [Optional]15 minutes before laser propagation, call FAA.
  4. Move telescope to either the 5 degrees N or S of zenith boresite position.
  5. Move TT Dichroic to Splitter in saomot_gui.
  6. Field Steer Motors to on-axis using fieldsteer.tcl GUI:
    1. Uncheck Move telescope and Auto Close Loops.
    2. Check NGS button
    3. Click Back On-Axis button
    4. Check LGS button
    5. Click Back On-Axis button
  7. Change shaneao to lgs mode: lgs()
  8. Load appropriate refcents for seeing conditions: refcent('data/hs-2014-08-17-BINQUAD_8xLGS_onSky.fits')
  9. Enable uplink TT control: uplink('on')
  10. Turn on uplink TT power from slinelamp_fe: Spare2
  11. Disable timer in slinelamp_fe as user@shanevnc: modify -s slinelamp LLPTEN=off
  12. Make sure aotelcoc is running on shanevnc: aotelcoc
  13. Load proper target into the Laser Shutdown Monitor, user@shanevnc: LSM.tcl
  14. Start laserOffload.tcl.
  15. Make sure radar is on and visual observers are ready.
  16. Propagate laser.
  17. Focus telescope on laser guide star while looking at the guider. Note: It is good to record the NGS telescope focus. Telescope focus for the sodium layer is about 20 POCO focus counts higher than NGS focus.
  18. Focus laser spot using laser launch telescope optics, while looking at LGS on guider. The goal is to get the smallest, roundest laser spot possible.
  19. Have laser operator steer spot to the boresight position on the guide camera.
  20. Send laser light to WFS (set diagonal mirror to position 3). Make sure WFS Focus stage is at NGS focus position (-20.00mm) and have laser operator steer spot to center of WFS. It is important to get this within half a pixel or so, so that Rayleigh scatter in the subapertures is properly aligned and measured when loops are closed.
  21. Set WFS rate to 50Hz: rate(50)
    Adjust rate as needed if laser spot brighter.
  22. Tune laser off wavelength.
  23. Take a sky background: dark()
  24. Tune laser back on wavelength.
  25. Close uplink TT: uplink_gain(.5)
    Confirm that it is working properly. You may want to tune the uplink TT gain.
  26. Close WFS loop: wfs_close()
    Confirm that it is working properly. Tune parameters accordingly:
    1. gain
    2. bleed
    3. refcents (make new ones with appropriate seeing)
    4. If Rayleigh scatter is a problem, try a WLS or dim control matrix:
      set_CM(file='controlMatrix_8x_wlsLGS.fits')
      control matrix choices are:
      controlMatrix_8xLGS.fits
      controlMatrix_16xLGS.fits
      controlMatrix_16x_wlsLGS.fits
      controlMatrix_16x_dimLGS.fits
      controlMatrix_8x_wlsLGS.fits
      controlMatrix_8x_dimLGS.fits
  27. Open loops: open()
  28. Shutter laser.
  29. Move telescope to a 10th magnitude star near the first science target. Note: current system is stable enough we can use a 10th mag star near zenith from our always cleared list (user:shimmy:observers/lgs/targetLists/10thMagStarList.txt)
  30. Load proper target file into LSM.tcl.
  31. Return telescope to NGS POCO focus position.
  32. Move telescope 30 arcsec N.
  33. Get sky background for TT camera: ttdark()
  34. Move telescope 30 arcsec S.
  35. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  36. Adjust TT gain as needed: tt_gain(.6)
  37. Let telescope offload (offload120.sh - if need to start it as user@shanevnc: /usr/local/lick/etc/init.d/offload120.sh restart).
  38. Open loop and mark boresight on guide camera. Note: this boresight should not move much during the night, as SAO is very stable.
  39. Propagate laser and align it to star (diagonal mirror position 2).
  40. Send light to SAO, diagonal mirror position 3.
  41. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  42. Move WFS focus back to LGS focus:
    1. Start WFS Focus Tracking GUI as user@shanevnc: saoWFSFocusTrack.tcl
    2. Click WFSFocus Track check box. A message box will come up saying what focus position in millimeters to move the WFS focus stage to. Note this number and dismiss the box. Note that the predicted WFS focus for a 90km high sodium layer is displayed in the GUI.
    3. Move WFS Focus stage to LGS focus position in saomot_gui.
  43. Put in Na filter or LGS field steer 7 arcsec NE to move 9th mag star off of WFS using fieldsteer.tcl. Make sure that Move Telescope, Move Motors, Auto Open Loops are checked, and Auto Close Loops is unchecked.
  44. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  45. Have laser operator steer laser onto WFS, if necessary.
  46. Tune laser off wavelength.
  47. Take WFS background: dark()
  48. Tune back on wavelength.
  49. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  50. Close uplink TT loop: uplink_close()
  51. Close WFS loop: wfs_close()
  52. Look at image of 10th mag star on TT Camera. Adjust WFS focus stage until image has best focus.
  53. Check WFSFocus Track checkbox in saoWFSFocusTrack.tcl GUI.
  54. Check strehl on ShARCS.
  55. [Optional]Do on-sky image sharpening.
  56. Open all loops: open()
  57. Shutter laser.
  58. Move field steer motors back to on-axis using fieldsteer.tcl GUI.
  59. Move telescope to science target guide star.
  60. Load science target guide star lsm file into LSM.tcl GUI.
  61. Adjust rate of TT camera as needed to see tip/tilt star.
  62. Move telescope 30 arcsec N.
  63. Get TT camera sky background: ttdark()
  64. Move telescope 30 arcsec S.
  65. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  66. Propagate laser.
  67. Close uplink tt: uplink_close()
  68. Close WFS camera loop: wfs_close()
  69. Take data.
  70. Within 15 minutes of ending laser operations, send Quick Look Report to Space Command Laser Clearinghouse using lgsStatusReports.tcl GUI, setting LGS start and stop times as required.

NGS Operations

  1. Make sure in NGS mode: ngs()
  2. Make sure field steer mirrors are on-axis using fieldsteer.tcl GUI:
    1. Make sure NGS, Move Fieldsteer Motors, and Auto Open Loops are checked, and Auto Close Loops is unchecked.
    2. Click Back On-Axis button.
  3. Move telescope to guide star and acquire on guider.
  4. Send light to WFS. If you can't see the star at 50Hz rate, set TT Dichroic to Splitter and see if you can see the star on the TT camera at 40Hz and steer it to the boresight position.
  5. Move TT Dichroic back to Mirror if necessary.
  6. Move telescope 20 arcsec N (or other direction to get good sky).
  7. Take sky background on WFS camera: dark()
  8. Move telescope 20 arcsec S.
  9. Close loops: gain(.3)
  10. Adjust gain and bleed as needed to get good performance.
  11. Take science data.
  12. Use fieldsteer.tcl for manual field steering/dithering.
    1. Make sure NGS, Move Fieldsteer Motors, and Auto Open Loops are checked.
    2. [Optional] Check Auto Close Loops (generally you will want this, but if not, you will need to close loops manually).
    3. Enter amount to field steer in the Telescope Move portion of the GUI and press the button for the direction you want to move.
    4. If Auto Close Loops is not checked, close loops when move is completed.

LGS Operations

  1. Make sure loops are open: open()
  2. Move telescope to the tip/tilt guide star and acquire on guider.
  3. Put tip/tilt star on boresight.
  4. Field steer motors back on-axis in fieldsteer.tcl GUI (you probably want to uncheck Move Telescope and Auto Close Loops for this move, then want to recheck them when done).
  5. Load proper target file into LSM.tcl.
  6. Send light to SAO, diagonal mirror position 3.
  7. Adjust TT camera rate as needed for the tip/tilt star.
  8. Move telescope 30 arcsec N.
  9. Get sky background for TT camera: ttdark()
  10. Move telescope 30 arcsec S.
  11. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  12. Let telescope offload.
  13. Open loop and mark boresight on guide camera.
  14. Propagate laser and align it to boresight.
  15. Send light to SAO, diagonal mirror position 3.
  16. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  17. Have laser operator steer laser onto WFS, if necessary.
  18. Tune laser off wavelength.
  19. Take WFS background: dark()
  20. Tune back on wavelength.
  21. Close TT camera loop: tt_close()
  22. Close uplink TT loop: uplink_close()
  23. Close WFS loop: wfs_close()
  24. Field steer off-axis to the science target using fieldsteer.tcl with Move Telescope, Move Fieldsteer Motors, Auto Open Loops, and Auto Close Loops checked.
  25. Take data, dithering as necessary. Monitor laser safety monitor (LSM.tcl) software, radar, etc.

Moving to a new target

  1. Open loops: open()
  2. Shutter laser.
  3. Move telescope to new target (in many cases this can be a new science target and one can skip doing the 9th magnitude star step).
  4. Load in new target into LSM.tcl
  5. Follow LGS Operations procedures either for 9th mag star or science target as appropriate.

TT Only Operations

This is a special case for NGS observing when the field steering requirements go beyond the NGS field steering motor range. TT only operation is a special substate of the lgs() mode in shaneao.
  1. Make a flat that takes into account the average primary mirror shape, etc.:
    1. Go to a bright star (e.g. 9th mag) near science target.
    2. Set TTDichroic to Splitter in saomot_gui.
    3. Set to NGS mode: ngs()
    4. Move telescope 30 arsec North
    5. Take background: dark()
    6. Move telescope 30 arcsec South
    7. Close loops: gain(.2)
    8. Make sure parameters give a good strehl in NGS mode.
    9. Set low gain: gain(0.05)
    10. Set bleeds (note current bleeds before doing this): bleed(.9,.999)
    11. Create the flat file: save_flat()
    12. Tell the system to default to this new flat when the loops are open: flat0()
    13. Set gain and bleed to previous values.
    14. Open loop: open()
  2. Change to LGS mode: lgs()
  3. Move telescope to science target guide star.
  4. Acquire guide star on TT Camera.
  5. Close TT Loop: tt_close()
  6. LGS mode substate should now be TT Only.
  7. Make sure LGS is checked in the fieldsteer.tcl GUI.
  8. Use fieldsteer.tcl to steer off to the science target.
  9. Use lgs dithering scripts to acquire data.

WFS Only Operations

Used for laser testing only. WFS Only operation is a special substate of the lgs() mode in shaneao. In this mode, the TT Camera is not used, so one does not ever close the TT loop. Only the uplink tip/tilt and WFS loops are closed. For example:
  1. Set telescope at approved lasing position.
  2. Make sure target loaded into LSM.tcl.
  3. Propagate laser.
  4. Close uplink TT loop: uplink_close()
  5. Close AO loop: wfs_close()
  6. Evaluate loop performance.
  7. Open loops: open()

LGS to NGS Switchover

Switching back to NGS operations after LGS operations requires setting the following items and should only take a couple of minutes.
  1. Uncheck WFSFocusTrack in the saoWFSFocusTrack.tcl GUI.
  2. Move WFS focus motor to -20.0 (NGS focus).
  3. Field steer LGS motors to on axis (i.e. in fieldsteer.tcl, uncheck Move Telescope and Auto Close Loops; Check LGS; push the Back On-Axis button).
  4. Make sure NGS motors are on-axis (i.e. in fieldsteer.tcl, uncheck Move Telescope and Auto Close Loops; Check NGS; push the Back On-Axis button).
  5. Set Operation Mode in saocon_gui.tcl to NGS.
  6. Make sure Sodium filter is out in saomot_gui.
  7. Load in appropriate NGS saved setup in saocon_gui.tcl if necessary.
  8. If this is the end of the laser operations for the night, perform the LGS mode shutdown (step 1 on SAO_shutdown.html#endnight).
Last modified: Fri Jan 19 09:48:09 PST 2024