GISMO run #5 (March 2012): new optics and permanent position

Staffing of the test run

• GSFC: J. Staguhn, D. Fixsen, A. Kovacs, S. Maher, E. Sharp,
• IRAM: S. Leclercq, IRAM Granada staff

Test run schedule: 02.03. - 12.03.2012

IRAM 30m schedule page: http://www.iram.fr/IRAMFR/PV/sche/12/s09v1.html

GISMO does not appear with an explicit project number because the idea is to take up to 20 hours of the telescope time on the heterodyne pool (project 440-11). The decision for the time slots allocated to GISMO will be taken in real time (few to several hours in advance) through discussion between the GISMO team and the pool manager, based on observiong pool constraints (e.g. LST) and weather conditions.

Summarized schedule of the run:

More details on schedule, people, organization, hardware, and test plan: GISMO-On_Sky_Test_Plan_2012_v2.pdf

GISMO final version

• Same 8x16 pixels as 2nd to 4th runs, working at 2mm (the –3dB window is 140-162 GHz), with an individual pixel size = 0.9 Fλ.

• Same special features from previous runs: 2 motorized neutral density filters, controllable shutter, automated observing procedures usable via a dedicated GUI (see observer's manual), CRUSH reduction package.

• New updates: cold baffle, final position in the receiver cabin with corresponding warm optics.

Daily reports

Friday 02 March - Sunday 05

• Elmer, Steve and Dale arrived at the telescope, and start mounting GISMO, then cool it down.

Monday 06 March

• Johannes and Samuel arrived at the telescope. GISMO was close to base temperature. Water on the entrance window of the big baffle. Blow boil off nitrogen to it, then just use a fan. Look at the sky through the open window. Nice IV curves even without neutral density filter ==> very good sign that there's much less stray light than last year, so sensitivity should improve...