Useful information for observations: List of astronomical Target, Pako scripts, Real Time Analysis, Observing strategies

List of Astronomical Target for Nika June 2013 run6

FXD: First version (2 May 2013)

Back to the NIKA run6 page

1. Planets

Mars, Uranus, Neptune for photometric calibration (primary calibrators) and focal plane geometry.

(Venus, Jupiter, Saturn) too hot too big

Here are the ephemeris for all planets The near and far sidelobes could be measured with Jupiter and Saturn.

2. Usual bright quasars

• for image quality, linearity checks, and pointing sessions

Bright quasars

3. Secondary Calibration sources Calibrator galactic sources Here is IRAM report on Secondary Calibrators

4. Strong Galactic sources to test mapping Strong galactic sources

5. Weak Galactic sources

• for photometric calibration checks

Weak galactic sources

6. External extended galaxies

• for Science demonstration (mapping)

Nearby galaxies

7. High redshift sources

• for Science demonstration (sensitivity)

Distant galaxies

8. Hatlas lens sources

• for Science demonstration (sensitivity)

HSO galaxies

9. Deep survey and SZ sources

• for Science demonstration (SZ sensitivity)

Deep survey and cluster of galaxies

Here is the full detailed formatted list Full list v3 with fluxes

Here is the catalog for Pako has to be RENAMED to NIKA2013R6.sou on the pako computer (DONE)

Here is a list of IRAM pointing sources with fluxes at 3mm and 2mm (I miss fluxes at 1mm, SL) FluxForPointingSources

Interface with the telescope: Pako

Short manual on useful "Pako for Nika" see on Granada computers 2013_docs_for_observations/Pako_helpv15.txt

- Pako scripts are in the Pako subdirectory

- Before starting the pointing session, we may be requested to move the azimuth by 60deg to reset the inclinometer of the az axis.

- Always stay at more that 1 deg from the Sun. There are internal safeties that prevent the antenna to point to the Sun, but we may not get error messages.

- try to get sources uniformly distributed on the sky, hence give priority to high elevation sources that are usually harder to reach.

- Do one focus at the beginning. No need to do more focus than one every 2-3hours.

The antenna can point between 60 and 460 degrees in azimuth, between 20 and 80 degrees in elevation.

- If a source is available both at low and high azimuth, use command SET TOPO LOW (or SET TOPO HIGH) to stay on the source without moving.

- The minimum number of sources to observe for the pointing model is 15. 30 is good enough.

- the pointing sources should be observed on 'short' period, e.g. 3-4 hours to avoid daily pointing variations

Commissioning requirements

Abstract

We can consider using 40 hours to test, calibrate and commission the instrument. Procedures will be tested several times, which include Pointing (Cross), Focus, OTF_Geometry, Skydip, Lissajous, OTF_Map. Tests include tuning, auto-tuning, robustness of data acquisition. Photometric calibration includes planets and secondary calibrators. Skydip and Lissajous sequences need to be better tested than before. Other sequences should be straightforward. The plateau systematics will be investigated via the OTG_geometry sequences. Near sidelobes can be measured by doing 5x5 map of of Jupiter or Saturn and use Pf variable.

Detailed version (after discussions SL, FXD, RZ, NB, AB, AS, HU)

6/6/13: SL update after review with RZ.

• Alignment with laser. Then align mm axis by minimizing the background (manual adjustment of M5 with micrometric screws)

• Run pakoNIKA (paKo Revision v 1.1.14.1 2013-06-01) => the antenna mount drive slowRate will be set to 8 Hz for all observations (if needed to go back to 1Hz as previous runs: let the operator reboot vac1, then use pakoNIKA2012).

• One OTF_geometry to have an idea of the Far Field Geometry (= Field of View Geometry = projection of Focal Plane Geometry in the sky through system optics). Decide on a reference pixel at 2mm (with a close 1mm counterpart) so as to avoid problems with weather. Subscans steps for OTF_geometry must be ≤5" otherwise not enough oversampling at 1mm. Attention for the map sizes take the size requested + scan velocity x 2 seconds !

• Pointing session. Light session is useless because risks of smearing in the images and loose too much time afterward with the necessity of frequent pointings. However full session not much longer since it requires ~20 sources spread on the local sky (30 sources is not really useful and start to take time). Nasmyth offsets at 0 for all the session (can be changed latter during observations if one want to center the map on another pixel), but do Pointing offsets as soon as necessary (otherwise pointing source may moves away from the reference pixel and will kill the accuracy of the fit). Typically if the pointing offset is > 5" repeat the scan after setting the new offset. Pointing session should be done only with a cross scan. Doubling with a Lissajous would take too much time, however, test Lissajou pointing latter, once the pointing model is established and compare with cross to check how it works and which is most efficient.

• Focus: for the first iteration use Standard scans (at least 3 scans with 3 different focus values each time, then check). Keep Lissajous focus scans only for after the calibration sequence (iterations focus - pointing/geometry). Try also OTF_geometry with 3 different focus values (find best focus for other pixels than only the reference). Lateral focus should be optimized, but only latter, once everything else is settle and the conditions are stable.
• Photometric and FPG calibration with OTF_geometry on planets or strong quasars: get a first idea of flux calibration, FWHM, Kid positions.
• Skydips. Needed only to calibrate the total power coefficients (once fitted we will be able to deduce the total power on the maps): 2 (down up) at the beginning and 2 at the end of one session.
• Photometric calibration on Primary and secondary calibrators with Lissajous scans (keep for 2nd iteration, first do with OTF).
• Faint point source measurement (for a source with a known position (at the center)). Lissajous scans for several hours.
• Extended sources: e.g. M82, Gal. Sources, Crab, CasA: try various speeds to retrieve large angular scales: 10, 20,30,40,50,60 arcsec/s in zigzag Az, El mode
• Deep field 3x3 arcmin field in Az or El zigzag mode (point sources are looked for with unknown flux and position)
• SZ mapping: same

Science case demonstration

We want to show typical science demonstration data in five areas where we can compare our results with previous (Mambo, Laboca, JCMT, Bolocam) bolometer array results. We have a total of 85 hours. About 12 hours for 7 days. We dedicate 40 hours for commissioning, 45 hours are left for 5 scientific programs (Rho Oph, M33, HSO extragalactic sources, Deep survey and RXJ). Taking out 15 hours for calibration (calibration on planets and secondary calibrators, pointing, focus, skydip), we are left with 30 hours of science scans. The sources to be used during commissioning and science are the same.

1. Rho Oph (6h)
2. Extended galaxies (8h) M33
3. Faint sources (7h)
4. Deep survey (4h)
5. Clusters of galaxies (5h) RXJ

Here is a priority list of targets (see the complete list above) for commissioning and science observations.

1. Galactic regions, From brighter to fainter TBD
   • 1.1. Large map of OrionLBS23SM 1.2. Large map of DR21 1.3. Large map of Crab, CasA 1.4. Map of NGC2023 1.5. Map of the horsehead
2. Galactic faint sources: Rho Oph
3. Extended galaxies
   • 2.1. M82 2.2. M33 2.3. NGC891
4. Faint high-z point sources starting with 30 mJy sources at 1mm TBD:
   • Arp220, 4C05.19, APM08279+5255, MM18423, SMMJ2135, HAT133008, , HAT133649, HAT141351 H1413+517, F10214+4724, HLSW01, BR1202-0725, BRI1335-0417, SBS1408+567, , HSO_ID017, HSO_ID081, HSO_ID011,HSO_ID130.

HATLENS01, HATLENS02, HATLENS03 (=HAT114637), HATLENS04, HATLENS05 (=HSO_ID141), HATLENS06 (=HAT134429), HATLENS07 (=HAT083051), HATLENS08, HATLENS09 (=HAT113526)

1. Deep survey: The idea is to cover a field with 1mJy rms sensitivity at 1mm and 0.5mJy at 2mm, this is about one hour per camera FOV (about 3 arcmin^2). Map should be 3x4 arcmin. Exact field to be decided around a faint source (5-10 mJy)
2. Clusters of galaxies RXJ1347-1145, Confirm

Status of observations

Current status of observationsRun6