Diff for "Continuum/PolarimetricObservations"

Go to the NIKA2 main page.

To start polarimetric observations with NIKA2

1. Put the rotating half-wave plate (HWP) in the optical path on NIKA2
   • Done by the operator using a pneumatic system
   • The rotation of the HWP is managed through the acquisition software
   • If the acquisition was running before, there will be a noticeable change on the traces when the HWP is put in front of the NIKA2 window

2. Start the server for MPPSYNC (hereafter mppsync terminal), needed for the HWP operation

   • Open a Xterm_V3_IRAM terminal in the nika2-a:1 VNC, if necessary. It must be logged to nika2@nika2-a

   • Go to the appli folder: ~/NIKA/Processing/NIKA_lib_V3_IRAM/Acquisition/appli

   • Call ./mppsync.sh

   • Call ./server

   • The mppsync server (running from archeops@mppsync1:~/NIKA_lib_AB_OB_gui/Acquisition/instrument/mppsync/) can be left running after the polarimetric observations. It should not affect the total power observations. Running status in the mppsync terminal brings useful information for monitoring the system (i.e. phase, power, direction, movement, speed; see below)

3. Restart the acquisition software (LAUNCH ACQUI_V3_IRAM) on the nika2-a machine with the correct ini file

   • For ease of use, three ini files are created at the beginning of each pool: runXX.ini, runXX_tp.ini and runXX_pol.ini

   • The runXX_pol.ini file is modified accordingly for polarimetric observations with NIKA2 (div_kid=20 instead of 40 and _enable=1 instead of 0 in box "U")

   • The acquisition software is reading always the file runXX.ini, so we should copy runXX_pol.ini to runXX.ini before we start (similarly copy runXX_tp.ini to runXX.ini to go back to total power observations, see below)

4. Check the MPPSYNC value left side of the acquisition (acqui) window

   • Expected to be around -400 to -500 us; the tab background should be in green colour
   • If not, use the buttons "start/stop" and/or "header/reconnect" and/or restart the acquisition altogether. Sometimes, several tries are necessary.
5. Start the resonances monitor (LAUNCH MON_V3_IRAM), as usual, and get traces for (e.g.) array 2
6. Launch HWP operation window
   • Select "U MPPSYNC" from the drop-down menu of the "trace" window
   • Activate the checkmark on "power" and click "start" button

   • If the HWP is off (check the power status in the mppsync terminal), the traces look as expected for total power observations (i.e. relatively flat and noise-like)

   • If the HWP is on, there is a clear sinusoidal wave in the traces (if NIKA2 is illuminated, of course), caused by the HWP rotation

   • Rotation sense checked on Feb 2, 2022 by visual inspection within the receiver cabin. The HWP rotates correctly, in the sense marked on its frame, when the "move_dir" button is not clicked.

7. Set the phase of the HWP
   • Click on "setPhase" button

   • The phase entry in the mppsync terminal decreases or increases until it stabilises at around 50% with small oscillations around this value

   • When the phase is locked, the yellow arrow in the MPPSYNC window points upward
   • After the HWP tuning, the spectra of the traces show clear peaks at around 3 Hz, 6 Hz, etc.
8. Start observations and real-time data reduction. At the moment, the polarization data are reduced with the IDL pipeline

   • It's best to use the alias idl_polar on nika2-a instead of idl. This alias ensures that IDL does not try to overload some CPUs needed by the acquisition and that are more critical when running at 47Hz.

   • Other than that, the reduction is done the same way as total power for pointing, focus, skydips, calibration scans (calib_1scan), beam maps and science observations.

   • Sometimes is needed to open multiple IDL instances to accelerate the reduction process (e.g. for focus sequences). This can be done by calling multiple "xterm &" instances from a single terminal of observer@nika2-a and then calling idl_polar in each one of them. This way only one IDL license is used.

   • The imbfits files are not used by IDL but created because they will be used eventually by PIIC

To go back to total power observations

1. Stop the HWP rotation and turn it off
   • Click the "stop" button run the MPPSYNC window
   • Unclick the "power" button
2. Close the acquisition software as usual

   • Call ./reset_nika.pl in the appli folder (nika2@nika2-a:~/NIKA/Processing/NIKA_lib_V3_IRAM/Acquisition/appli/)

3. Restart the acquisition software (LAUNCH ACQUI_V3_IRAM) on the nika2-a machine with the correct ini file

   • Copy runXX_tp.ini to runXX.ini before restart

   • The mppsync server window can be left open. It shouldn't affect the total power observations
4. Start the resonances monitor (LAUNCH MON_V3_IRAM) and proceed with the tuning as usual
   • When the correct ini file is selected for total power observations. The "trace" window doesn't even have the "U MPPSYNC" option in its drop-down menu

Some recommendations for polarimetric observations with NIKA2:

• It is not suggested to reduce polarization beammap scans during an observing session because it will take a long time and delay the observations flow, especially if a pointing or focus scan is needed in the (near) future.
• Recommended scanning speed for science observations is about 35"/s - 40"/s

To Do List:

• Check if IMBFITS files store all necessary information that will be needed for a polarization reduction mode of PIIC in the future

Created: 2022.FEB.04, I. Myserlis