NIKA2 Re-Commissioning (3rd. attempt)

NIKA2 run 74, Cryo run 86

Infos about the PIIC DAFs for the PIIC monitor

According to the results obtained from processing data of June 2025 NIKA2 re-commissioning given here, DAFs RPP scheme used during run 73 is kept. Therefore, two different sets of DAFs for Ar1+3 and for Ar2 are used. In practice:

Ar2
- open a terminal, go to the QL directory
- gagpiic
- export MOPSIC_DAFS=/local/users/flexible/reduce/dafs_bck/dafs_local_tmp_run73_ar2
- start the Ar2 monitor (pf)
- repeat in another terminal for the Ar2 monitor(m)
Ar1 and Ar3
- open a new terminal, go to the QL directory
- gagpiic
- echo $MOPSIC_DAFS -> check that it says /sw/gildas/mopsic/dafs
- if not, then set it to that directory
- proceed normally with the Ar1 and Ar3 monitors

July 12-13, 2025

These tests are being carried out in the framework of the first Heterodyne pool week of Summer 25. Thanks to all involved for their comprehension.

Albrecht (AoD) and Angel at the telescope. Operators on Duty: Gloria (night) and Kike. Cryostat ok (T_MC = 0.170 K, T_Still = 1.21 K, T_4K = 8.37 K).

DAQ started with the window closed for sampling some instrumental noise traces. Bad KIDs (Ar1/Ar2/Ar3): 12, 5, 14. Screenshots of noise traces, in that order:

23:45 (LT): Starting NIKA2 session. Window open, clear sky, tau_225GHz ~ 0.23, mild wind. DAQ restarted (total power), bad KIDs: (Ar1/Ar2/Ar3): 13/953, 5/578, 29/1000.

The first task is to get reliable focus corrections per array. Pointing on 1741-038 (1.61 Jy @ 1 mm, 30 days average until 10/7/2025: SMA). An issue arises: adopting MOPSIC_DAFS=/local/users/flexible/reduce/dafs_bck/dafs_local_tmp_run73_ar2 for PIIC-QL as established above, a message synchro problem or corrupted file appears. Everything goes fine with that in the case of Ar1/Ar3. 2mm-PIIC monitors restarted using MOPSIC_DAFS=/sw/gildas/mopsic/dafs: now it works. We continue on this. On the other hand, it was not possible to activate the creation of imbfits files with the old system. Albrecht is investigating possible issues with the NCS libraries.
Very stable atmosphere: p2p vars. in the second focus sequence of the session are ~ 2, 3, and 5 Jy/beam (ar1, ar2, ar3). Quiet residual background in the QL maps.

00:50 (LT): Changed to 1749+096 (2.33 Jy @ 1 mm, 30 days average until 09/7/2025: SMA) for new focus corrections.

12/7/2025 (UT) focus sequences (total power)
Scans	Target	Start El. [deg]	Ar2	Ar1	Ar3	Notes
268 - 271	1741-038	48.8	1.29	*	*	Bad range for Ar1/Ar3 focus corrections
274 - 277	1741-038	49.1	1.16	1.62	1.94*	Much better. Pivot should be Ar2 focus correction + 0.6 mm to have reasonable fits for all arrays per single focus sequence; not so good correction for Ar3
280 - 283	1741-038	49.1	1.15	1.54	1.76	Even better
286 - 289	1749+096	62.4	1.0	1.61	1.78	Good focus in general; maybe the telescope needs to relax a little more.
300 - 002	1749+096	57.6	1.05	1.47	1.75

01:15 (LT): Starting a first trial of flux calibrations on secondary standards:

calib_1scan maps - Total power - 12/7/2025
Scan	Target	Elevation	Notes
292	MWC349	66.3	focus opt. ar2
293	MWC349	67.3	focus opt. ar1/3
294	NGC7027	61.9	focus opt. ar1/3
295	NGC7027	62.9	focus opt. ar2
296	CRL2688	64.3	focus opt. ar2
297	CRL2688	65.3	focus opt. ar1/3

02:13 (LT): Starting a second trial of flux calibrations on secondary standards after a new focus correction on 1749+096:

calib_1scan maps - Total power - 13/7/2025
Scan	Target	Elevation	Notes
5	MWC349	77.7	focus opt. ar2
6	MWC349	78.6	focus opt. ar1/3
7	NGC7027	72.9	focus opt. ar1/3
8	NGC7027	73.9	focus opt. ar2
9	CRL2688	76.2	focus opt. ar2
10	CRL2688	76.3	focus opt. ar1/3

Calib_1scan maps with no apparent problems. Comparable to those obtained last April, for instance.

AB: completion of the last part in progress

13/7/2025 (UT) focus sequences (total power)
Scans	Target	Start El. [deg]	Ar2	Ar1	Ar3	Notes
13 - 17	2251+158 (3C454)	47.6	0.87	*	1.64	No fitting for ar1; repeating after change pivot for a best fitting in all arrays
18 - 22	2251+158 (3C454)	49.8	0.97	*	*	No fitting for ar1, bad fit for ar3
27 - 31	2251+158 (3C454)	55.41	1.17	*	*	No fitting for ar1, bad fit for ar3
33 - 37	2230+114	57.7	1.15	*	*	No fitting for ar1, bad fit for ar3
39 - 42	2230+114	59.4	1.17	1.60	1.83	Finally, a reasonable focus correction
50 - 54	Neptune	47.8	1.24	*	*	No fit for ar1, bad fit for ar3
60 - 64	2134+004	46.6	1.45	*	*	Marginal fit for ar1/3; changing to the appropriate pivot. Repeating.
65 - 69	2134+004	44.9	1.55	2.0	*	Marginal fit for ar3. Unreliable fits.
72 - 76	2134+004	59.4	1.55	2.0	*	Marginal fit for ar3. Unreliable fits.

-  ⇤ ← Revision 9 as of 2025-07-13 05:23:17 → 
  Size: 6002
  Editor: NikaBolometer
  Comment:
+   ← Revision 11 as of 2025-07-13 11:32:15 → ⇥
  Size: 6391
  Editor: NikaBolometer
  Comment:
-Deletions are marked like this.
+Additions are marked like this.
 Line 41:
- * First task is to have reliable focus corrections per array. Pointing on 1741-038 (1.61 Jy @ 1 mm, 10/7/2025: SMA). First problem: if we adopt MOPSIC_DAFS=/local/users/flexible/reduce/dafs_bck/dafs_local_tmp_run73_ar2 for PIIC-QL, a message of synchro problem/corrupted file appear. Everything goes fine with that in the case of Ar1/Ar3. 2mm-PIIC monitors restarted using MOPSIC_DAFS=/sw/gildas/mopsic/dafs: now it works. We'll continue on this.
+ * The first task is to get reliable focus corrections per array. Pointing on 1741-038 (1.61 Jy @ 1 mm, 30 days average until 10/7/2025: SMA). An issue arises: adopting MOPSIC_DAFS=/local/users/flexible/reduce/dafs_bck/dafs_local_tmp_run73_ar2 for PIIC-QL as established above, a message ''synchro problem or corrupted file'' appears. Everything goes fine with that in the case of Ar1/Ar3. 2mm-PIIC monitors restarted using MOPSIC_DAFS=/sw/gildas/mopsic/dafs: now it works. We continue on this. On the other hand, it was not possible to activate the creation of imbfits files with the old system. Albrecht is investigating possible issues with the NCS libraries.
 Line 43:
- * Quite stable atmosphere: p2p vars. in the second focus sequence of the session are ~ 2, 3, and 5 Jy/beam (ar1, ar2, ar3).
+ * Very stable atmosphere: p2p vars. in the second focus sequence of the session are ~ 2, 3, and 5 Jy/beam (ar1, ar2, ar3). Quiet residual background in the QL maps.
 Line 45:
-:50 (LT): Changed to 1749+096 (2.33 Jy @ 1 mm, 09/7/2025: SMA) for new focus corrections.
+:50 (LT): Changed to 1749+096 (2.33 Jy @ 1 mm, 30 days average until 09/7/2025: SMA) for new focus corrections.
 Line 50:
-|| 274 - 277   || 1741-038             || 49.1         || 1.16 || 1.62 || 1.94*  || Much better. Pivot should be Ar2 focus correction + 0.6 mm; not so good correction for Ar3 ||
+|| 274 - 277   || 1741-038             || 49.1         || 1.16 || 1.62 || 1.94*  || Much better. Pivot should be Ar2 focus correction + 0.6 mm to have reasonable fits for all arrays per single focus sequence; not so good correction for Ar3 ||
 Line 59:
-|| 292   || MWC349 || 66.3     || focus opt. ar2 (1.0) ||
|| 293   || MWC349 || 67.3     || focus opt. ar1/3 (1.7) ||
|| 294   || NGC7027 ||  61.9    || focus opt. ar1/3 (1.7) ||
|| 294   || NGC7027 ||  62.9     || focus opt. ar2 (1.0) ||
|| 294   || CRL2688 || 64.3      || focus opt. ar2 (1.0) ||
|| 294   || CRL2688 ||  65.3     || focus opt. ar1/3 (1.7) ||
+|| 292   || MWC349 || 66.3     || focus opt. ar2 ||
|| 293   || MWC349 || 67.3     || focus opt. ar1/3 ||
|| 294   || NGC7027 ||  61.9    || focus opt. ar1/3 ||
|| 295   || NGC7027 ||  62.9     || focus opt. ar2 ||
|| 296   || CRL2688 || 64.3      || focus opt. ar2 ||
|| 297   || CRL2688 ||  65.3     || focus opt. ar1/3 ||
 Line 66:
-:13 (LT): Starting a second trial of flux calibrations on secondary standards after a new focus correction:
+:13 (LT): Starting a second trial of flux calibrations on secondary standards after a new focus correction on 1749+096:
 Line 70:
-|| 5   || MWC349 || 77.7      || focus opt. ar2 (1.0) ||
|| 6   || MWC349 || 78.6     || focus opt. ar1/3 (1.7) ||
|| 7   || NGC7027 ||  72.9    || focus opt. ar1/3 (1.7) ||
|| 8   || NGC7027 ||  73.9     || focus opt. ar2 (1.0) ||
|| 9   || CRL2688 ||  76.2     || focus opt. ar2 (1.0) ||
|| 10   || CRL2688 ||  76.3     || focus opt. ar1/3 (1.7) ||
+|| 5   || MWC349 || 77.7      || focus opt. ar2 ||
|| 6   || MWC349 || 78.6     || focus opt. ar1/3 ||
|| 7   || NGC7027 ||  72.9    || focus opt. ar1/3 ||
|| 8   || NGC7027 ||  73.9     || focus opt. ar2 ||
|| 9   || CRL2688 ||  76.2     || focus opt. ar2 ||
|| 10   || CRL2688 ||  76.3     || focus opt. ar1/3 ||
 Line 77:
+Calib_1scan maps with no apparent problems. Comparable to those obtained last April, for instance.
-Line 78:
+Line 79:
+'''AB: completion of the last part in progress'''
-Line 82:
+Line 84:
-|| 18 - 22  || 2251+158 (3C454)   || 49.8          || 0.97 || * || *  || No fitting for ar1, bad fitting for ar3||
|| 27 - 31  || 2251+158 (3C454)   || 55.41          || 1.17 || * || *  || No fitting for ar1, bad fitting for ar3||
|| 33 - 37  || 2230+114   || 57.7          || 1.15 || * || *  || No fitting for ar1, bad fitting for ar3||
|| 39 - 42  || 2230+114   || 59.4          || 1.17 || 1.60 || 1.83  || Finally a reasonable focus correction ||
|| 50 - 54  || Neptune   || 47.8          || 1.24 || * || *  || No fitting for ar1, bad fitting for ar3||
|| 60 - 64  || 2134+004   || 46.6          || 1.45 || * || *  || Marginal fitting for ar1/3; changing to the appropriate pivot. Repeating.||
|| 65 - 69  || 2134+004   || 44.9          || 1.55 || 2.0 || *  || Marginal fitting for ar3. Not reliable fitting. ||
|| 72 - 76  || 2134+004   || 59.4          || 1.55 || 2.0 || *  || Marginal fitting for ar3. Not reliable fitting. ||
+|| 18 - 22  || 2251+158 (3C454)   || 49.8          || 0.97 || * || *  || No fitting for ar1, bad fit for ar3||
|| 27 - 31  || 2251+158 (3C454)   || 55.41          || 1.17 || * || *  || No fitting for ar1, bad fit for ar3||
|| 33 - 37  || 2230+114   || 57.7          || 1.15 || * || *  || No fitting for ar1, bad fit for ar3||
|| 39 - 42  || 2230+114   || 59.4          || 1.17 || 1.60 || 1.83  || Finally, a reasonable focus correction ||
|| 50 - 54  || Neptune   || 47.8          || 1.24 || * || *  || No fit for ar1, bad fit for ar3||
|| 60 - 64  || 2134+004   || 46.6          || 1.45 || * || *  || Marginal fit for ar1/3; changing to the appropriate pivot. Repeating.||
|| 65 - 69  || 2134+004   || 44.9          || 1.55 || 2.0 || *  || Marginal fit for ar3. Unreliable fits. ||
|| 72 - 76  || 2134+004   || 59.4          || 1.55 || 2.0 || *  || Marginal fit for ar3. Unreliable fits. ||

Diff for "DailyReportsNika2Run74"

NIKA2 Re-Commissioning (3rd. attempt)

Infos about the PIIC DAFs for the PIIC monitor

July 12-13, 2025