ACIS Instrument Support - Monthly Progress Report for October 2018

1.  ACIS Characterization

1.3 Monitor scientific on-orbit performance of ACIS

  ...  Following Chandra safe mode on October 10, verified ACIS was safe, monitored housekeeping data during recovery, and supported safe mode recovery.  Ran four CAPs to collect an additional 315 ksec of ECS data during the shutdown periods, including two where the focal plane setpoint was raised to -115C and -110C, to help calibrate ACIS at warmer temperatures.

  ...  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).

  ...  Configured replacement desktop computer to support analysis of ACIS data to monitor instrument health and calibration, and support ACIS command generation.  

  ...  Prepared and reviewed slides, presented at the Chandra Quarterly.

  ...  Completed installing ACIS real-time monitoring software onto acisocc-w, which is destined for the Wayside OCC.

  ...  Submitted abstract to January AAS meeting on "Twenty years of the Advanced CCD Imaging Spectrometer on the Chandra X-ray Observatory".


2.  Engineering

2.1 Instrument hardware engineering performance

  ...  Continue to monitor long term ACIS instrument performance.  A review of engineering data over the past 60 days shows no unexpected trends.
  
  ...  The EEPROM checksum was scheduled in the OCT0818 load, but did not occur due to the safe mode.   Will continue to run monthly.  MIT telemetry processing will automatically check the results and send out an alert if the checksum is unexpected.

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, may need to be updated in the next few months to keep the trigger thresholds well above the increasing particle background.  This update will likely be the last increase, as the rates should subsequently start dropping again.

  ...  ACIS reviews completed for ACIS patch level G-H-I.  This patch makes two changes to the current FGH patches.  Updated buscrash2 patch to force end of science run following SCS107, and new deahktrip patch to respond to "red alert" DPA component temperatures. Ready to be reviewed by the larger community.

2.3 Instrument science performance

  ...  Participated in monthly ACIS operations meeting.  Discussed the Oct 10 safe mode and status of OCC move.

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

  ...  Planning for the move of Ops LAN machines (including colossus-v) from the current OCC.

  ...  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 on QEU and gain droop calibration.

  ...  Reviewed SDS memo on changes to the temperature-dependent CTI correction in acis_process_events that should improve its performance at higher temperatures.

  ...  Submitted updates for the Chandra AO-21 Proposer's Observatory Guide

  ...  Continued to maintain ACIS calibration database of ground and flight data products.

  ...  Supported Cool Targets program by building chip drop modes to complete the suggested C-CAT SI mode set.

  ...  Answered CDO question on the use of various count rates listed in the OCAT for SI mode assignment

  ...  Submitted summary of Detectors and Background Working Group session at last Spring's IACHEC meeting for the upcoming IACHEC newsletter.


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.

  ...  New EGSE workstations for the relocated Wayside OCC have passed all tests in the Hampshire St OCC.  Participating in discussions of network topology.  Submitted ACIS team requirements document to OCC move team leaders.

4.2 Generation of commands for ACIS observations

  ...  Built, tested, and installed SI modes for potential future chip drops.  This covers drop contingencies down to one CCD powered on for all observations in AO-20.  Built 5 new TE modes and 1 new CC modes.

  ...  Built, tested, and installed SI modes to complete the set proposed for the Cool Catalog Targets program.

  ...  Built, tested, and installed new focal plane temperature setpoint commands, to provide a finer grid between -115C and -110C for future calibration observations.

  ...  Investigated and fixed anomalous chip drop counters in the OCAT.

  ...  Updated documentation on keeping Perl modules up to date.

  ...  Proposed and reviewed a potential new load review checklist item regarding dither and bright sources.

  ...  Reviewed NOV0518 preliminary schedule, NOV0518 final OR list, and NOV1918 Long Term Schedule OR list.

  ...  Dropped chips from 1 ObsIDs.  Assigned 6 SI modes.

  ...  Checking on automated processes associated with SACGS.

  ...  Submitted test plan for ACIS ops testing of CXCDS 10.7 and CentOS 7, including SACGS, our load review scripts, and the MIT processing pipeline.  Testing completed and test report submitted.