ACIS Instrument Support - Monthly Progress Report for November 2017

1.  ACIS Characterization

1.3 Monitor scientific on-orbit performance of ACIS

  ...  Continued monitoring of ACIS CTI, gain, trailing pixel pulseheight, detector efficiency, corner pixel distribution, spectral line centroid and width, and focal plane temperature.  Updated monitoring web pages. (http://space.mit.edu/~cgrant/monitor.html).

  ...  Released updates to PMON, the ACIS telemetry monitor with new yellow/red alerts for S/W housekeeping channels and an alert for the FEP thresholder anomaly.

  ...  Submitted abstract for poster presentation at the Astronomical Telescopes and Instrumentation SPIE meeting next summer entitled: "Reducing the Athena WFI background with the Science Products Module: Lessons from Chandra ACIS and Suzaku XIS".

2.  Engineering

2.1 Instrument hardware engineering performance

  ...  Continue to monitor long term ACIS instrument performance.  All engineering data remains nominal.
  
  ...  The EEPROM checksum was verified in the NOV0617 load.   Will continue to run monthly.  MIT telemetry processing will automatically check the results and send out an alert if the checksum is unexpected.

  ...  Reviewed and provided comment on SOP: Switch from DEA-A to DEA-B.

2.2 Flight software maintenance

  ...  Flight software patch F-G-H (improved buscrash2) uploaded in June 2014.

  ...  We continue to monitor threshold crossing rates.  The current TXINGS parameters, which were last updated on July 28, 2016, were checked again in November and were found to still be valid.  The major solar storm in early September did reduce the quiescent particle background rates by ~10% (Forbush decrease), which may push the need for a parameter update beyond the end of this year.

2.3 Instrument science performance

  ...  Participated in radiation working group telecon.  Discussed status of ACE real-time data and new protocols for the HRC when exiting the radiation belts.

  ...  Continued daily quick-look processing of ACIS telemetry and maintained Web interface to ACIS real-time data.

  ...  Continued to publish the "annotated DOT" timeline reports.


3.  CXC Support

3.1 Provide user support

  ...  ACIS memo listing calibration ObsIDs and observation characteristics (ACIS Memo #165) will no longer be updated.  Functionality is replaced by new web page (http://acis.mit.edu/asc/evt-page.html), which provides the same information but is more automated.

3.2 Provide data analysis support

  ...  Participated in CXC Cal/Ops ACIS response discussion group.  Discussed updates to the ACIS QEU and contamination, and a new low energy feature seen in the NICER detectors that may also impact ACIS.
  
  ...  Continued to maintain ACIS calibration database of ground and flight data products.

  ...  Participated in planning telecon for upcoming IACHEC meeting (April in Italy).

4.  OCC Support

4.1 Use of MIT/ACIS EGSE at OCC

  ...  Continued support and maintenance of ACIS EGSE software and hardware at the OCC.  Performed monthly check of all ACIS hardware and software in the TST room at the OCC.  Working on updating documentation.

  ...  Discussion between MIT ACIS, SOT ACIS, and the FOT on the requirements of the ACIS area in the new OCC. Released memo "ACIS EGSE Relocation Plan" (http://acis.mit.edu/pub/acis-egse-move-plan-v1.1.pdf).  Began approval process for hardware purchase.

4.2 Generation of commands for ACIS observations

  ...  Participated in discussion of FOT request to reduce the number of FEPs powered on during perigee passages to help keep the ACIS DPA within its thermal limits.  Currently during perigee passages ACIS powers down all the video boards but leaves the FEPs powered up.  A new power command is under development which will shut off three FEPs, leaving three FEPs on.  

  ...  Continued review and updating of SACGS documentation (SACGS = SOT ACIS Command Generation System).

  ...  Continuing familiarization with SACGS operation and under-the-hood functioning.

  ...  Reviewed NOV2217A command load. Reviewed DEC1117 Long Term Schedule OR lists.

  ...  Assigned 7 SI modes. 

  ...  Checking on automated processes associated with SACGS.