SSOC Tohban Report for Week 41_95 (October 9 - October 16, 1995) SSOC: A. Sterling, H. Hudson KSC : H. Watanabe, M. Takahashi Attendance at WOM: J. Lemen, S. Savy, L. Shing, W. Gan, A. Sterling, H. Hudson, T. Yoshida, R. Kano, K. Marubashi, and T. Watanabe (chair) 1. Solar Activity ----------------------------------------------------------- Surprisingly, solar activity picked up this week and even dared to make M-class flares. The activity was largely due to AR 7912, CMP about 16-Oct, which is either a new-cycle region or else a reversed polarity (about S10). The M4.8 flare at 0510 13-Oct is particularly noteworthy: it was well- observed from the beginning by Yohkoh and by BATSE, thus producing a great success for the CAL mode of operation. The event was also a type II burst, as reported at Hiraiso and at Culgoora. The SXT images show an unusual double ejection, exactly matching an (ex post facto) prediction of our favorite Hirayama model! A C5 flare was also observed outside flare mode, because of SAA, in a special PFI table for eclipse observations. This may be a helpful circumstance for SXT scattered-light measurements. 2. Standard Operations ------------------------------------------------------ 2.1 SXT Table Uploads : 8 total --------------------------------------------------------------------- Date Pass number Name --------------------------------------------------------------------- 10-Oct-95 3 951010 P3 (not named in ops report) 11-Oct-95 3 951011 P2 ARS1 STD+LONG 12-Oct-95 2 951012 P2 ARS0/1 ECL TEST 12-Oct-95 3 951012 P3 ARS2 STD+LONG 13-Oct-95 2 951013 P2 ARS2 ROUMEL 13-Oct-95 4 951013 P4 ARS2 STD 14-Oct-95 1 951014 P1 ECL TEST 14-Oct-95 3 951014 P2 ARS2 STD --------------------------------------------------------------------- Each time an SXT Table was uploaded a patrol image was taken by executing the command `BC 8C 05'. 2.2 STT Timer Setting The STT Timer was set on 10-Oct-95 (Tuesday), pass #2. The next timer setting should be 17-Oct-95. 2.3 OP offpoints The upcoming eclipse (see below) will require offpoints, so SXT must obtain offpointed images at terminator times. These must be coordinated with the SXT chief observer based upon the draft OP. The offpoint commands must be manually edited into the OP, if requested, according to simple rules: Offpoint OG at one time step before the SXT CTL MAN Normal point OG at 1 time step after SXT CTL AUTO 3. Errors & Problems ------------------------------------------------------- 3.1 SXT Errors None yet 3.2 BCS Errors A BCS error occurred and was fixed on Pass #4 13-Oct. 3.3 Flare1 printer The flare1 printer failed on 9 October and has not yet been fixed. The "lpr" command is now directed to the Asuka printer next door. 3.4 OP_FIRST_GUESS There is a problem with the scheduling of terminator image dumps during medium telemetry rate, if the medium-rate interval overlaps beyond the DAY OG. Lemen_san has been informed of this and next week's tohbans will be expected to repair the software. 3.5 OPS report filing There was a gap in the flare1 filing system for the new digital operations reports from KSC. How should this be handled? Do the KSC tohbans make an archive, and if so where is it? The existence of an archive makes several operations tasks lighter. This question was answered at the WOM: the SSOC tohbans should have the responsibility to file these reports, and the tohban checklist should be edited to reflect this. 3.6 Fax machine The toner cartridge reached a terminal state, and there was no reserve available. Iwata_san ordered more, which came in one day, and she will keep the spare to be prepared for the next time this happens. The tohbans were surprised to find that merely shaking the toner cartridge did not temporarily fix the problem and to operate in the short term, they borrowed the Akebono fax next door. The Yohkoh/Asuka fax continued to work for transmission but there were several paper-feed problems. 3.7 Mainframe terminal The terminal hardware had a problem and initiated a logoff sequence in the computer itself; this occurred 12-Oct during an OP edit process. The computer engineers checked and concluded that the terminal hardware was at fault. Tohbans should beware of this, and if it happens again we should try to get the problem fixed. 3.8 Line down for file transfer On 14 Oct we experienced a failure of the file transmission system to KSC, resulting in a backlog of 3 OP's and one SXT table. Fortunately Shutoh-san was available on Saturday and was able to help. 3.9 Coffee maker The official Yohkoh/SSOC coffee pot is on its last dregs. 4. DSN Communications ------------------------------------------------------- 4.1 DSN Final Schedule for W41 We cancelled one DSN contact from the Final Schedule for W41: DOY 287 1251-1335. The reason for this cancellation is that there were only 10 minutes or so of data following the prior KSC pass. DSN_CONFLICTS, in this case, recommended deleting the corresponding Asuka pass at Santiago. This left it available for Yohkoh, and the mechanism for juggling KSC and Santiago passes did not seem to work properly. Can this situation be handled at the preliminary week level? 4.2 DSN Final Schedule for W42 There were no (0) cancellations from the final schedule for Week 42. We conclude that the working environment for the Week 40 tohbans must have been exceptionally nice. 4.3 DSN Preliminary Schedule for W43 There were no (0) cancellations from the preliminary schedule for Week 43. We conclude that the working environment for the Week 40 tohbans must have been exceptionally nice. 4.4 DSN Strawman Schedule for W44 We cancelled 68 DSN contacts from the Strawman Schedule for W44. Of these 34 were out-of-bounds Santiago passes, and Katano-san requests that DSN_CONFLICTS deal with these automatically. The allowed time range is 1300-2345 Monday-Thursday, and 1245-2330 Friday-Sunday. 4.5 Pass additions None. 4.6 Re-transmission requests We sent re-transmission requests for data as follows: (1) DSS 74, 265/16:29-265/16:38; (5th request). By e-mail from Jose Valencia, we learned finally that this pass had been irretrievably lost. (2) DSS 76, 279/04:59 requested 12-Oct DSS 74, 279/17:08 DSS 66, 281/19:55 DSS 74, 282/16:24 DSS 74, 284/13:36 (3) DSS 76, 285/19:13 requested 13-Oct 5. Yohkoh/Asuka/SFU Pass Conflicts at KSC ------------------------------------ 5.1 In W41, 9 KSC passes were lost because of the conflicts with Asuka. There were no pass conflicts between Yohkoh and SFU. 6. Special operations ------------------------------------------------------ 6.1 Terminators OG's #33 and #34 were changed, for the eclipse observation, to S/C E18 N00 and S/C W17 N00, respectively. Terminators were scheduled at these offpoint positions starting 13-Oct. Otherwise, normal terminator scheduling continued. 6.2 BCS calibrations 12-Oct BCS source calibration 13-Oct BCS stim calibration 6.3 Eclipse 24-October. An "eclipse committee" consisting of Hara, Hudson, Lemen, Savy, and Watanabe met 11-Oct. Other participants in planning include Kano, Yoshida, and K. Reardon (Hawaii). Kano and Yoshida edited the orbit timer OG's for the two partial eclipse episodes. The circumstances for this eclipse are extremely favorable: Yohkoh will see four episodes, two of which are coronal and two deep partial. The partial eclipses occur during KSC contact time, so we will have real-time data. There is a total of more than two hours during which the distance between Sun and Moon centers is less than one degree. The current plan for observations is to obtain FFI images at 32-sec cadence, AlMg filter only, for the whole sequence. The PFI's will be looking at N and S poles in hopes of elucidating the origin of polar plumes and rays by comparison with ground-based images. This is in a sense an extension of the Koutchmy-Hara campaign that we began about a month ago, but with the advantage of eclipse optical data. This eclipse will be valuable for public consumption, and we will try to make "prepped" images available on a short time scale. In addition we will be able to view real-time data with the Shimizu reformatter in B-toh; if there is a request these data could also be made available elsewhere, but they will not have despiking or stray correction. By a special favor Asuka has moved its holiday schedule to the eclipse day. Yohkoh will thus have all five passes, or possibly even six if required. The eclipse committee will prepare a report for the Monday WOM meeting. 6.4 OG Write was done on 13-Oct-95 pass #1. 7. Holiday Schedule -------------------------------------------------------- The next holiday will be on Sunday, 15-Oct-95. 8. Hikitsugi Items --------------------------------------------------------- 8.1 Tohbans for Week #41 KSC : M. Takahashi, K. Yoshimura SSOC : J. Lemen, K. Marubashi 8.2 STT Timer Setting The next STT Timer should be set on Tuesday, 10-Oct-95. 8.3 Offpoint terminator images If terminators appear in the OP generated by running `op_first_guess' then the OP should be faxed to the SXT_CO (Chief Observer) in D-toh. The SXT_CO will then inform the SSOC tohbans if offpointing will be carried out. If so, the OP will need to be edited appropriately. 8.4 Transmission of OP Please note that the OP should not be transmitted to KSC during the times of SFU passes. Before transmitting the OP the tohbans should check the sheet `Tracking Passes at KSC' to see whether an SFU pass is in progress. 8.5 SXT Patrol Image Dumps The command `BC 8C 05(Hex)' should be executed whenever an SXT table upload occurs. This command dumps an SXT patrol image which is needed to check the ARS parameters since the Sun is very quiet. 8.6 The W42 tohbans should receive a report from Shutoh_san about the reason for the lost KSC link on 14 October. 8.7 RASM: ask last week's tohbans for the password. 8.8 A new version of the Tohban Manual now exists. It is on-line in /ys/gen/doc as well as being available in hardcopy. Each week's tohbans are encouraged top use it and help to improve it.