ACIS Instrument Support - Monthly Progress Report for August 2019

1.  ACIS Characterization

1.1 Characterize and model radiation damage in ACIS CCDs.

  ...  Worked on new CTI correction coefficients for FI temperature dependent CTI correction.

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).

  ...  All MKI IP addresses changed in August.  After some minor issues, no impact to ACIS operations.


2.  Engineering

2.1 Instrument hardware engineering performance

  ...  Continue to monitor long term ACIS instrument performance.  Reviewed trends in engineering data for the past 70 days; no unexpected trends were seen.

  ...  The EEPROM checksum was verified in the AUG1219A load.   Will continue to run monthly.  MIT telemetry processing will automatically check the results and send out an alert if the checksum is unexpected.

  ... Trained new ACIS ops personnel on building an SI mode including running tests on the Engineering Unit.

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 were last updated on July 28, 2016.  Threshold crossing rates may have flattened out and started decreasing recently, potentially indicating the end of solar minimum.

  ...  Continuing forward with ACIS patch level G-H-I.  This patch makes two changes to the current F-G-H patches -- updates buscrash2 patch to force end of science run following SCS107, and adds a new deahktrip patch to respond to "red alert" DPA component temperatures.  Completed sanity checking on the ACIS engineering unit.  Commands inserted into the ACIS tables and installed in the ODB at Wayside.  Finished logging and archiving commands.  Draft SOT SOP written and undergoing initial reviews.  Started FOT SOP.

  ...  Reviewed CLD and RTS files for the WSPOW0002A command which powers on three FEPs, leaving video boards off.  This command can be used in real-time if ACIS board temperatures get too cold.

2.3 Instrument science performance

  ...  Participated in monthly ACIS operations meeting.  Discussed ACIS flight software patch status and Wayside power issues.

  ...  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

  ...  Discussed multiple ACIS tools with new SDS personnel to clarify purpose and details of operation.

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


4.  OCC Support

4.1 Use of MIT/ACIS EGSE at OCC

  ...  Continued support and maintenance of ACIS EGSE software and hardware at the Wayside OCC.  Performed monthly check of all ACIS hardware and software at the OCC.  Testing improved version of ACIS telemetry software which is smarter about how it writes telemetry log files.

  ...  Supported recovery from Wayside power issues.  ACIS stations back to nominal configuration and receiving telemetry.

4.2 Generation of commands for ACIS observations

  ...  Assigned SI modes for most observations in cycle 21.  This was done much earlier than usual in response to Mission Planning needs.  Remaining observations require double-checking of the configuration by USINT and the observer.  Started sending notifications to USINT of non-assigned observations.

  ...  Answered USINT question on recommended order for optional chips.

  ...  Built one new SI mode as a contingency chip drop configuration.

  ...  Checking on automated processes associated with SACGS.