INGRID Daily Checks

These checks should be performed in conjunction with the WHT check list . 

Hot Links

• Introduction
  
• WHT ULTRADAS startup for INGRID
• Datum the INGRID mechanisms
• Take the Test Images
• Analyze the Test Images
  

• Starting the EPICS Engineering Mimic
  
• Checking INGRID cryostat pressure
• INGRID Cooling Procedures
• INGRID Warmup Recovery

Introduction

WHT ULTRADAS startup for INGRID

1. Login to the observing system ICS computer (currently taurus) as:  whtobs
   
   
The following two windows should then appear:
• The Observing System (pink) window. This is the window  where observer's commands are entered.
• The DAS Terminal  (yellow) window. This window contains a number of tab pages, each one corresponding to one of ING's DAS computers. This window facilitates the starting, stopping or reinitialising of the ULTRADAS camera servers.


2. Prior to starting any of the observing software INGRID needs to be configured for use in the observing system.  In the Observing System (pink) window enter:
   
   obssys, followed by option 1
   
   
3. Review the cameras and instruments that are currently defined in the observing system. If necessary select:
   
   option c
   
   :to edit  the WHT configuration file (look on the CCD whiteboard to see which DAS machine is hosting the INGRID camera server and enable the appropriate entry in the configuration file.)
   
   
4. On completion of this step the Observing System (pink) window should display the following prompt:
   
   SYS@taurus>
   
   
5. Using the Combined Terminal (yellow) window select the tab page associated with the INGRID camera server. Type:
   
   obssys
   
   followed by option 1, then option 1 again. At the end of this configuration procedure you should receive a DASn prompt (where n refers to the das machine you are on).
   
   
6. Again, in the same window type:   startobssys
   
   to load the ULTRADAS  camera software, checking that no unusual error messages are emitted. Repeat steps 5-6 for any other cameras that have been defined in the observing system configuration.
   
   
7. At the Observing System (pink) window type: 
   

startobssys

to start the main components of the observing system. During start-up various windows will be started. The important ones for INGRID are:


• Talker
• Observing Log
• ULTRADAS Camera Mimic. (the new combined one)
  
• Who goes there ? (observer info)
• INGRID/USP/OASIS Control GUI
• Real Time Display Tool
• XIMTOOL Image Display Window (used for display of RTD images)
  
  
8. When the system prompt is returned, the observing system is ready for use. To avoid screen clutter, minimise the windows that are not being used.
   
   

Datum the INGRID Mechanisms.

1. Select the INGRID tab page within the combined INGRID/USP/OASIS Control GUI. Using the drop-down selection box within the Configuration Tool  select the Initialise function (last entry in list).
   
   The configuration tool will datum the three INGRID mechanism wheels one by one. At the end of this procedure the status of the three mechanism wheels should be INITIALISED.
   
   
2. If the EPICS crate has been rebooted the pupil imager will also need datuming. This can be achieved using the appropriate drop-down box on the GUI.
   
   
3. Having checked the datum procedure completed successfully issue the command:  
   

   SYS@taurus> filter ingrid dark

to seal INGRID light tight for bias images (this also has the effect of testing the command-line scripting functionality.)

Take the Test Images

1. To take an image, enter at the prompt:

SYS@taurus> coave ingrid 1
SYS@taurus> multbias ingrid 4

2. Wait until the ULTRADAS Camera mimic  indicates that the detector has been read out and has been 100% processed (four times because of the multbias issued). Make sure the images are written (with  TCS header information) to the Observing Log. Check also that the filter information as displayed in the log is correct.
   
   
3. Immediately after every readout, the Real Time Display Tool (RTD) will detect the new image file and load it to the XIMTOOL display window. This image is the result of the post-integration minus the pre-integration image that removes the static (DC) bias level from the image.
   
   
4. Now take two test images which will be later analysed (see below) to check the detector for noise:
   

   SYS@taurus> dark ingrid 1
   SYS@taurus> dark ingrid 1

Analyze the Test Images

1. Login on the WHT Data Reduction Sparc (whtdr) as:  whtguest
2. Open the programs menu by clicking on the background and start an xgterm and ximtool session.
3. In the xgterm, start an IRAF session using the command:  cl
4. Load the image reduction package by typing:   ingrid
5. Within IRAF, change to the obsdata directory where the images are being stored. This information can be found on the ULTRADAS Camera mimic. e.g.

cd /obsdata/whta/20051116

The obsdata discs currently being: whta, whtb, whtc, whtd & whte.
It should be noted that a new 'date' directory is generated at 12:00 UTC daily

Each image pair is contained in a single FITS file with: rnnnnnn  being the last run number. .

• To display the pre-integration image, enter at the IRAF prompt:  display rnnnnnn[1] 1 fill+
• To display the post-integration image, enter at the IRAF prompt: display rnnnnnn[2] 2 fill+
• To display a bias subtracted image, enter at the IRAF prompt:  idisp rnnnnnn 3 fill+
6. At the IRAF prompt, type:  imexam
7. Check (using the  m  command) that the bias level of the two images is roughly the same value and at a level of between 11,000 and 15,000 ADU.
8. Exit imexam by typing:  q   (the cursor must be in the image area).
9. Assess the readout noise of the array by using the command:

ifindron rmmmmmm rnnnnnn

i.e.  Using the penultimate and ultimate bias readout images. Check that the displayed rms noise value is below 10 ADU rms.

EXTRA INGRID NOTES

• Check cryostat pressure by connecting and switching on Balzers pressure gauge in the INGRID electronics rack, waiting 1 minute and read the front panel display. It must be below 1E-4 millibar. Note the vacuum pressure level in the log book along side the fill time. Switch off the gauge
• INGRID can take a long time to fill with LN2, especially the first time it is used after being re-pumped. Make sure that liquid is seen coming out before removing the filler tube. Remember to fill both cryostats.
  

In the current configuration with NAOMI  INGRID's closed cycle cooler has been permanently removed. This was necessary to reduce vibrations on the adaptive optics bench. An additional cryostat has now been incorporated into the instrument to increase the autonomy of the cooling system. Under these conditions the detector runs at a higher temperature - approx 82K compared with the 72K it used to run at when cooled with LN2 + the closed cycle cooler. Under the current regime the following policy should be adopted to cool the instrument.

• INGRID should be filled approximately every eight hours.
• Always remember to fill BOTH cryostats.
  
• Refill the LN2 tank after observations have ceased for the night.
• During daytime operations, refill the dewar during normal daily checks.

INGRID Warmup Recovery.
If INGRID temperatures are found to be excessively high, the chances are that the LN2 coolant has evaporated completely. Follow the following procedure to attempt recovery.

• If detector above 180 K, abandon any attempts and call for help.
• Check cryostat pressure, if below 4E-3 then continue, else abandon effort and call for help.
• Confirm that the Detector Demand Temperature is set to 0K.
• Fill the LN2 reservoirs. This may be a long process to try and get LN2 into a 'hot' tank. Persistence pays off.
• Monitor cryostat pressure. It should drop as temperature drops.
• Array will not produce anything sensible until temperature is below 130K.
• In all cases contact the INGRID instrument specialists (Simon Rees, Andy Ridings, Paul Jolley, Samantha Rix).

Document History

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