Running CGS4
    
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CGS4
Handbook
How to run the CGS4 software
It is best to run up the CGS4 software after the telescope control software
is up and running, so wait until the Telescope System specialist (TSS)
tells you that it is OK to run up CGS4. Communications between the
telescope and CGS4 will have to be started manually if CGS4 is started
before the telescope.
While running up the CGS4 software, you should also run the data reduction
software on KIKI. See the section called Simple
CGS4 Reduction Steps for instructions on how to do this.
To run up CGS4:
-
Log on to IRTCON using the observer account (not your guest account) and
start a decterm from the session manager. Drag this decterm to the bottom
of the screen with the cursor.
-
At the $ prompt, type CGS4_DEV and enter your user ID when
requested. (The user ID is the name you used when creating configs and
execs with UKIRT_PREP).
The software will now load (it takes a minute or two) and you will be presented with the top level menu .
-
Go into the startup
menu by highlighting this menu item with the cursor keys and hitting the
enter key.
-
Go into the Specify_Observers
menu item and enter your name
at the top and your observing run number. This will be written to the headers
of the data files. Use the PF1 key to save this information and return
to the startup screen.
-
Now go into the Blackbody_Onoff
menu and switch the blackbody on by highlighting "ON" and pressing PF1.
-
Enter the Datum_Motors
menu, select "All" and hit PF1. This will move the motors in CGS4 to their
datum positions and will take a few minutes.
-
When the motors are datummed, you will be returned to the startup menu.
Hit PF1 to return to the top level screen, select "Spectroscopy..." and
press the enter key. You will now be presented with the Spectroscopy
menu.
-
Enter the Load_an_EXEC
menu. You will see that the array_test exec is already specified. Hit PF1
to load this exec, select "Run ..." and press the enter key. The
array test exec will then run which produces the first 6 observations of
the night (2 bias frames and 4 darks). CGS4 is now ready for use.
NB: When the array test exec
is complete, you must run the array_test routine in the RED4 window
of the data reduction software.
Checking flat and arc settings.
At the beginning of your run, you may wish to check that the exposure times
are acceptable for your flats and arcs. This can be done by loading the
relevant configs and running movie. This is how you do it:
-
After running the array_test exec, select the Set_Single_Observation
menu. Enter the name of your config on the top line, and specify
whether this is to be a flat or arc on the bottom line.
-
When you're happy, hit PF1. The motors will take a little time to set to
the requested positions during which time you will not be allowed out of
this menu. When CGS4 is ready, you will be returned to the Spectroscopy
menu.
-
Select the Movies
menu. You can specify the exposure time for your exposure in Set_Movie
(the default is 0.5 - the exposure time in your config is ignored by movie)
and then run the movie by selecting Run_Movie
.
-
When movie is running, you will be presented with two
options , Abort and Direct_Motor_Control. Obviously the abort menu
will stop your movie exposure. Direct_Motor_Control
allows you to move the CGS4 motors while still running movie. This is extremely
useful if you want to experiment with different apertures for the blackbody
or try different arcs. Simply select what you would like to change and
hit PF1. If you are using the echelle, this is the time to experiment with
the CVF offset value.
-
When you are happy with the settings, you can enter them into your config
and abort movie.
Unless you are an experienced CGS4 user, Direct_Motor_Control should
be carried out by, or with supervision from, your support scientist.
NB: Data will not be written to disk when running
movie.
Peaking up.
When you are happy with your flats and arcs, you can now move onto the
peakup stage. For those not familiar with this term, this simply means
putting the IR beam of your source into the middle of the CGS4 slit. This
will be done by the TSS. The only thing that the observer has to do is
set to a config (either using Set_Single_Observation
and specifying "Object", or by the Set_Object command in an exec). The
TSS will tell you when everything is ready and you are able to take data.
NB: Do not try an operate CGS4 when peakup is in progress.
This can have the unfortunate consequence of crashing the system, as software
communications between the telescope and instrument will be interrupted.
Those with targets too faint to peakup on (around 14th magnitude in
J,H and K) should arrive with very accurate offsets from
a nearby bright star. Simply having accurate coordinates is often not good
enough.
Taking data
Taking data with CGS4 is simply a matter of loading your exec using the
Load_an_Exec menu and running it. Once your exec is running, you
will be presented with the CGS4
Running menu which offers a few options.
-
Resume_exec will allow you to restart an exec if you have stopped
it for any reason.
-
Break_exec will stop an exec when the current observation is complete.
This is the command you use to stop an exec when you have reached the desired
signal-to-noise in your spectrum. When you use this command, be sure to
issue it when i) you are currently observing the target rather than the
sky, and ii) when you are on the second observation of a object-sky pair.
-
Pause simply pauses the exec. You will be presented with a menu
allowing you to restart.
-
Abort will abort the observation when the current integration is
complete. Only use this option in emergencies. Break_exec should
be used in almost every other situation.
-
Edit_Current_Exec gives you an opportunity to edit your exec after
you have loaded it. For example, your exec may include the flat and arc
commands, but you don't feel that it's necessary to take another flat and
arc. You can edit the exec and remove these commands. A temporary exec
will be written which CGS4 will use (i.e., your original exec will not
be affected by the edit). However, this option can only be used when a
"Break" command has been reached in the exec. You can't edit an exec while
it is actually running.
Running down CGS4
CGS4 should be run down when you have finished with it for the night. If
you are simply switching to IRCAM, and wish to use CGS4 later on, please
read the instructions on how
to swap between CGS4 and IRCAM .
To run down CGS4, do the following:
-
Go into the Load_an_Exec
menu and load the "End_Night" exec. Run it. This leaves the CGS4 motors
in a safe position (i.e., no light will reach the detector).
-
Once this exec has finished, PF1 out of the Spectroscopy
menu into the top
level menu and then select "Startup". Go into the blackbody
menu, switch off the blackbody and hit PF1.
-
Hit PF1 twice more. At the bottom of the screen, you will be asked
whether you want to "Kill tasks and exit from SMS? /N/". Answer "Y" to
this. You will then be asked "Do you wish to kill the motor system? /N/".
Again, answer "Y" to this. CGS4 will now run down.
Last Modification Date: 1998/09/10 - Last Modification Author: Tom
Kerr
Tom Kerr (tkerr)
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