Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope

Monthly Operations Report

Status as of February 29, 2024

Table of Contents

1. Science/Technical Highlight (Anyone)

A preprint entitled: Insight into the solar plage chromosphere with DKIST by D. Kuridze et al. was sumitted to Astro-PH.

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2402.04545.pdf

The research, led by scientists at the National Solar Observatory, was carried out in partnership with experts from the Queen’s University Belfast, UK and Aberswyth University, UK. From their abstract:

“The strongly coupled hydrodynamic, magnetic, and radiation properties of the plasma in the solar chromosphere makes it a region of the Sun’s atmosphere that is poorly understood. We use data obtained with the high-resolution Visible Broadband Imager (VBI) equipped with an Hβ filter and the Visible Spectro-Polarimeter (ViSP) at the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope to investigate the fine-scale structure of the plage chromosphere. To aid the interpretation of the VBI imaging data, we also analyze spectra from the CHROMospheric Imaging Spectrometer on the Swedish Solar Telescope. The analysis of spectral properties, such as enhanced line widths and line depths explains the high contrast of the fibrils relative to the background atmosphere demonstrating that Hβ is an excellent diagnostic for the enigmatic fine-scale structure of the chromosphere. A correlation between the parameters of the Hβ line indicates that opacity broadening created by overdense fibrils could be the main reason for the spectral line broadening observed frequently in chromospheric fine-scale structures. Spectropolarimetric inversions of the ViSP data in the Ca II 8542 ˚A and Fe I 6301/6302 ˚A lines are used to construct semiempirical models of the plage atmosphere. Inversion outputs indicate the existence of dense fibrils in the Ca II 8542 ˚A line. The analyses of the ViSP data show that the morphological characteristics, such as orientation, inclination and length of fibrils are defined by the topology of the magnetic field in the photosphere. Chromospheric maps reveal a prominent magnetic canopy in the area where fibrils are directed towards the observer.”

Shown below is Figure 1 from their preprint with the DKIST VBI data shown in the top row:

2. Photos (Anyone)

3. Directorate (Thomas and Dave)

3.1 Activities

• The months of January and February continued as an extended engineering period focusing on Technical Operations maintenance and upgrades and integration of the VTF instrument. The VTF group from KIS Germany arrived on Maui on January 8 and will be there integrating the VTF through the end of February.

• The DKIST Directorate continued work on the DKIST section of the NSO 2024 Annual Program Plan (APP). The 2024 NSO APP was submitted to NSF on

• The DKIST Deputy Associate Director attended the AAS 2024 Winter meeting in New Orleans, LA.

• The DKIST Director was on Maui for most of January and February.

• The DKIST Directorate prepared for and presented to the NSO User’s Committee on January 18, 2024.

• The DKIST Directorate held a FY 2024 Q2 planning meeting with the DKIST senior leadership.

• The DKIST Directorate prepared for and presented to the AURA Solar Observatory Council on February 6, 2024.

3.2 Financial Status

• DKIST operations carried forward approximately $18.84M in unencumbered funds into FY 2024 from previous years.  A total of $7M in new funding has been obligated by NSF thus far in FY 2024 for a total funding amount of $7M.

• Financial status of 31 Jan 2024

  • DKIST operational expenditures for the current month were $2.10M

  • Total YTD expenditures for DKIST operations are $8.28M.

  • The average DKIST spending for the past 12 months (burn rate; BR) is $2.59M / month.

4. Science Operations (Ali and Andres)

4.1 Status of Observing

N/A. Not on-sun.

4.1.1 Regular Cycle Observing

• N/A

4.1.2 Solar Orbiter Co-Observing

• N/A.

4.1.3 Parker Solar Probe Co-Observing

• N/A.

4.2 Observing Planning

N/A. Not on sun.

Planning of the details of the OCP2.6 observing window opening in March will happen in February facilitated through a Medium-Term Planning (MTP-2.6) meeting.

4.3 Science Operations Training Activities

• The Science Operations Specialists completed short training activities (60 minutes) recommended by the manager after the performance review process. Some of these training activities were:

  • Technical Writing: Quick Start Guides

  • How to Design and Deliver Training Programs

  • Teamwork Foundations

  • Having Difficult Conversations

4.4 Science Operations Specialists

• Science Operations Specialists started working on updates for the SOS Group Knowledge Training Program. Several Confluence pages consolidate the knowledge information required for operations. There is a process to edit, review, and approve the pages required to update each training activity. Quizzes associated with each training activity are also getting updates with new questions. We expect to finish the knowledge training program update in March 2024.

• A new version of the Operations Daily Report was deployed, and the script that analyses the database was updated accordingly.

• Submitted one project for Akamai students during the summer of 2024.

4.5 Cycle Preparation

The Cycle 3 Proposal Call preparation is ongoing and progressing well. Many sections of of the Proposal Call are ready for review and as such have been shared with the directorate. Some details regarding the FIDO configuration and instrumentation modes, i.e. offered capabilities, are converging but not finalized, and discussions with the DKIST science team are ongoing.

4.6 Experiment Generation

N/A. Not in an Experiment generation window.

However, based on updates/improvements made to the Operations Tools (see below), it is planned that all Cycle 2 Experiments will be revised and updated to reflect/benefit from these improvements.

4.6 Science Operations Management

Worked on the development of additional data quality reporting information of public data sets and PI-led data sets in collaboration with the Data Center scientist, instrumentation program scientist, and directorate. This additional information will be shared with the community on a public space through Confluence until better solutions are identified.

Continued with the hiring process for an additional science operations specialist (SOS). The hiring committee selected the best candidate to make an offer during the first week of February. The expectation is to have the new hire working for DKIST the second week of May.

4.7 Science Operations Tools

Robert Tawa

A new and more flexible Observing Program script has been developed. In support of this new script, the front end of the Experiment Architect user interface was changed and updated. This new version of the script successfully passed testing by science operations on the the development system of the Operations Tools. It is currently (February) undergoing testing by science operations pending implementation into the existing Cycle 2 Experiments prior opening of the OCP2.6 observing window.

4.7.1 Management

• Robert Tawa

5 Technical Operations (Heather and Paul)

Technical operations highlights for January and February

Storm clean up and power outage recovery

• High winds and rain on the summit resulted in ingress of water into the observatory. 

• The team worked through technical issues resulting from the water and power outage including issues with the 300 KVA UPS, fire alarm faults, elevator faults, and generator faults. Several pieces of electrical equipment on the ground floor outer ring were in the path of water and needed to be inspected/cleaned/repaired prior to powering back on. 

• Due to the extended hazardous conditions and associated site closures, several PM activities planned for January have been postponed to the next engineering period in spring.

• Work continues on projects to prevent the ingress of water into the observatory including:

  • Shutter seal improvements

  • Standing Seam Roof sealant improvements

  • Addition of a vestibule to protect the east-facing double door. The design has been completed and quotes for steel fabrication and installation are coming in from vendors. Deadline for submission is March 2024.

Enclosure azimuth control & safety function improvements

• Work continues to improve the enclosure azimuth control.

• The fast top command that quickly brings the motor speed to zero using drive torque and braking has been implemented at the lowest control level to improve safety. Testing is complete and is in operation.

• Installed PLC changes to improve position and speed control, as well as control modes and sequence of operations.

• Work continues to improve the enclosure azimuth control

• Tested E-stop safety functions

• Tested Azimuth speed and position control at high speed and tuned the Azimuth drives to improve speed stability

• Installing, testing, debugging EMCS_LIC Azimuth controls

• Installed and programmed redundant gateway for Enclosure Azimuth Encoders

VTF arrival and installation

• The VTF containers arrived at the summit and were offloaded in the Apron area. TechOps supported contents unpacking and cleaning alongside KIS and Instrumentation Group colleagues

• Electrical and mechanical teams have been working alongside the Instrumentation Group staff and KIS team to install instrument hardware, including structure and utility interconnects.Cables and coolant runs  installed

• VTF to GIS interface and integration

• Liebert Rack Isolation Mounts

  • Design of isolation mounts

  • Mounts and hardware received and installed

• Connected VTF to permanent power

• Hazard Analysis review

• Baffle fabrication

• VTF accelerometers installation and test

AP system modifications

• The aperture twin-head pump system is being updated to a duplex-redundant system for easier maintenance and cycling, with capacity and flow rates adjusted to modify the closed-loop system process fluid to water with biocide.

Gutter installation

• Gold Coast Gutters was onsite to install the new gutters

• These gutters are expected to prevent water ingress into the dome

Akamai Program Preparations

• The Akamai Internship Program offers college students from Hawai‘i an opportunity to gain a summer work experience at an observatory, company or scientific/technical facility in Hawai‘i in an 8-week program.

• Potential mentors on our team developed project ideas, met with the Akamai Program staff, and submitted projects for consideration.

Journey Through the Universe Week

• The Maui Journey Through the Universe (JTTU) program visits Maui County public schools with the goal of connecting with the community to foster curiosity and wonder about our Universe, as well as a look at STEM careers

• Several staff participated in outreach events, including the career panel

Introduce a Girl to Engineering

• Several staff participated in this program for 9th and 10th grade students interested in exploring how engineers make a difference in the world

5.1 Site & Facility Status

5.2 General Site & Facility Repairs, Improvements & Upgrades

• HMI Alarm List update. 

  • Added Alarm look-up table to HMI. 

  • Added ability to disable the water treatment system from the HMI

  • Working on the ability to edit alarms via HMI

• Started primary loop automation testing.

  • Got all of CH01-03 interlock logic implemented and tested before weather interruptions.

  • Primary Loops Automatic shutdown and startup sequence and troubleshooting testing, TCM fault details added

• Power outage support/recovery; Restarted FMS systems.

• CHILLER 02 troubleshooting, leak in system 2 resulted in lost refrigerant charge

  • JCI fixed cracked tee in System 2 discharge line and recharged refrigerant

• Chiller 05/06 PM

  • Both chillers wer tuned, topped off, inspected

  • Found a facility flow switch misbehaving

  • Both circuits on CH06 wer low, circuit 2 had a leak at the pressure relief valve connection

5.3 Electrical/Electronics/PLC and Facility Management System

5.3.1  Highlights of Recurring Preventative Maintenance Performed in October

• Panel and transformer maintenance.

• Assisted in the mirror cleaning.

• Completed Coude control cabinet PM's

• UPS battery backup system capacitor and fan replacement (required every 5 years)

• Completed PM for hygrometer.

• Completed PMs for the domestic water pumps and dynalene fill pumps

• Testing of Liebert rack smoke detectors

  • Cryo racks need smoke detectors installed

• Fan 25 PM

• Telescope and Enclosure inspections

5.3.2 System Repairs & Upgrades

• Reconfiguring of conduit for FC#4 to move to generator backed power.

• Emulator testing of Enclosure end stop coherence checks to remove the self referencing position check.

• Review of RSLogix versions for updating firmware software in PLCs.

• Collecting and documenting components and firmware versions used in GIS.

• Investigation of minimum motor requirements on Enclosure axes 

• Vent gate automation project. PLC programming, wiring of prototype cabinet and vent gate bank

• GIS HMI updates due to EMCS changes

• Experiments to improve balance of the TAC loop

  • Investigate feasibility of overriding the modulation on the instrument liebert racks

  • Liebert Rack Valve Control

  • Detailed the approach for loop balance test.

  • Checked lab control network connection to Leibert racks and established connection to the WFC racks. Ready for testing.

• Enclosure azimuth control improvements

  • Investigation of minimum motor requirements on Enclosure axes 

  • Change Enclosure Azimuth safety function got password from IDOM. Ready to implement changes.

  • Installed PLC changes to improve position & speed control. Ready for testing.

  • Upgrade Enclosure Azimuth sequence of operation. Installed PLC with new logic. Debug and testing

  • Corrections to enclosure ePlan drawings.

  • GIS HMI update

  • Enclosure encoder 3oo4 voting logic

  • Reviewed ENC_LIC and EMCS tags and alarms and display in HMI

  • TEOA platform avoidance update to GIS

  • Enclosure rear door drawing/performance investigation

  • Procured spare PLX-82 gateways for Enclosure Azimuth Encoders. Installed a second redundant gateway.

  • Reviewing proposed enclosure cable wrap protection and interference protection

• Storm recovery 

  • Water intrusion inspection and cleanup

  • Debugging and resolving UPS, EMCS, GIS problems.

  • King power continues troubleshooting the generator.

    • After 2 onsite visits we are waiting to hear when they will return. Generator is notyet operational.

    • On 3rd visit, replaced gear pump on generator and generator is now back in service

    • Troubleshooting a warning signal, facility side is operational, need King power to confirm source of warning.

  • Replaced the fire alarm heat detector backplate in the receiving and cleared the fire alarm. System has been returned to active service. # troubles remain on the control panel and we are waiting to hear back from Johnson controls as to when they will be able to come out.

  • Cleaned and dried disconnect for SB-UPSL1A. It took on water and most likely was the cause of the 200 KVA output breaker trip.

  • Troubleshot and repaired the lighting in stairwell #2. One of the motion sensors took on water and needed to be replaced.

  • Power systems troubleshooting after storm; 200 kVA UPS breaker was tripped

  • Elevator and PFlow troubleshooting

• M1 cover UPS testing

• VTF Prep & Installwork

  • Installed additional divider for the cable tray in the Coude rotator for VTF.

  • Rack 3 installation, network cable routing and temporary rack power solution for the VTF ePDU.

  • Pulling cables and wire installation

  • Disconnected temporary power and connected permanent power to the VTF rack.

  • Installation of coolant runs

  • Hazard Analysis review and inspection of equipment, GIS to VTF interface review and troubleshooting

  • Ran fiber connections for VTF

  • Connected single phase 208 for VTF rack power

• Coude HX fan fault investigation

• Aperture Plate pump rework electrical and controls changes

  • The aperture twin-head pump system is being updated to a duplex-redundant system. Took another look at M1 aperture plate pump control logic to understand behavior.

  • Documented basic change control guidelines for B&R PLCs.

• Coude Load Bearing Balancing 

  • Researching signal conditioners compatible with the ring transducers in-hand and looking into a more permanent sensing system.

  • Prep for Coudé bearing truck load measurements planned for February, to ensure new VTF load is properly distributed for long-term reliability and bearing life

• Optics and Instrumentation

  • Assembly of the cables for the cryo warm filter wheel.

  • Troubleshooting and card swaps for the M6 controller.

  • Reconnected the Cryo compressors 1 and 2.

• Troubleshooting 185 lift; low coolant error and a loose emergency stop button were fixed.

5.4 Mechanical/Thermal

5.4.1 Highlights of Recurring Preventive Maintenance performed in October

• Fan Semi-Annual Maintenance

• Compressed air system PMs

• Mount cable wrap quarterly PM

• Enclosure bogie oil test came back normal. Enclosure bogie PM set for 2 years

• Fixed power equipment 6 month PM

• FTS weekly inspection

• Routine pump inspections

• Y-strainer PMs

• Quarterly pump PMs

• Hurco 3 and 6 month PMs

5.4.2 System Repairs & Upgrades

• Vestibule fabrication

  • Received quote for Vestibule Steel Fabrication. Followed up with other vendors.

• Refrigerant tank recycling

  • Refrigerant tanks were recovered and recycled. 

  • Disposal of R134 refrigerant complete. Empty tanks received back and stored. 

  • A how to page for disposal/recycling of refrigerants was completed.

• Finalized compressed air isolation drops. Materials are on order and ready for work to start during the power outage.

• Removed temporary baffles and installed part of the final FOTR baffles. Need to make some modifications to some parts to complete the task. Revised solidworks drawing and sent off drawings to the machine shop.

• Held a meeting with Eurofins test oil to go over procedure on how to get oil samples done and how to log in to account to see the results.

• Platform lift bolts were torqued to specification.

• Finished the cleaning and fill procedure for the aperture pump and inspected and reviewed the test equipment needed for testing the coolant concentration.

• Reviewed documentation and maintenance tasks for the Aperture Cover, and prepared a maintenance schedule. 

• Installing two isolation valves to help isolate branches in the compressed air system.

• Continued rail adjustment write-up

• Modifications to N2 Gun Support Brackets

• Machine Shop

  • N2 Gun Support Bracket Fabrication

  • Fan Semi- Annual Maintenance

  • VTF Support

  • Coude cabinet restraints

  • Haz Leave

  • Upcoming Shop: HIPPO 2381 - Revised FOTR Baffle

  • Plates, HIPPO 2512 – Fixed Power Equip 6-mo PM

• Completed Kick-Off meeting with M3 for elevator vent redesign. Sent out the precast sealant and elevator submittals.

• Continuing to work on LOTO procedure drafts to send for review.

• VTF support

  • Offloading and moving of VTF materials and equipment

  • Unpacking, cleaning, and installation of components

• Work started on the Aperture Pump Installation

  • Rack work

  • Drained Dynalene out of the system and flushed with water.

  • Received the last of the information we needed from the Ecolabs rep on the flushing and filling procedure, Alkaline cleaner arrived.

• Corresponding with M3 on any questions they may have regarding the elevator vent louvers. Need to take more pictures when time and techs are available.

• Installed magnets to solenoid valves in preparation for balancing. Will need to move the mount to access the remaining mount drive cabinets.

• Baffles for the feed optics thermal rack

  • Installed 3 baffles

  • Designed replacements for existing baffles

  • Fabrication of baffle plates

  • Installation of FOTR baffles when the mount is accessible

• TAC balancing

  • Running tests on the TAC system to check for flow at the mount

  • Completed initial balance of the TAC loop

  • Final measurements with TCM and M5 chiller systems running complete

• Received another quote for steel fabrication for vestibule

• Reviewed 50% design package for elevator vent redesign

• VTF support

  • Design for the Liebert Rack Isolation Mounts. Mounts and hardware received and installed

  • Baffle fabrication

  • Completed installation of fittings and testing of thermo-chillers for VTF

  • Installed VTF thermchiller for Prox Box. 

  • Modified Asembly Crate Extrusion

• Fill, flush, and drain the aperture system with water then cleaner

  • Drip pan is ready

  • Started pipework for the filter feeder

• Fabrication of the filter feeder base plate and holder for the aperture system

• Completed the supply and return swap on the mount racks

• Lathe Alignment Troubleshooting

  • Procedure write up

• Prep Rail Survey, measurements completed, analysis in progress

• M4 cleaning

• Utility Leve Outer cleaning

• Installed compressed air drop inside the instrument prep lab

• Installed and tested shutter corner seal

• Removal, cleaning, installation, and testing of the M1A HX

  • Flange connection showed signs of past leaks, gaskets ordered.

• Reviewed fabrication requirements for M3 LT Mount Parts

• Assisted with CO2 clean

• Modifications to Ring Girder SMR Bracket

• Gutter installation support

5.5 Opto-Mechanical

• Whiffletree analysis review

• CO2 snow cleaning of optics

• Finished dimensioning and designing the frame for the Coude mirror cover stand. Creating an assembly with all the necessary components in order to generate a BOM and get an order in.

• Met with Keck about their PV project, considering next steps for the project.

• Vibration Tracking & Measuring:

  • Determined the next steps for assessing the Coude drive cabinets and conceptualized some options for vibration mitigation

• M1 coating prep:

  • Investigate solution for paint flaking on gantry

  • Whiffle tree transport, step 2 with no lifting equipment

  • Improvement of small issues as redesign of pins, order bridles, lighting

  • Bridle ready for purchase

  • Lighten tools for whiffle tree lifting under study

• HS reflector spare update: II-VI/Coherent difficult to reach, IOI has the capacity (suppliers) to manufacture and diamond turned the reflector, IOI will provide some copper samples coated with silver.

• Scoped area for possible mirror cover stand placement, planning for additional measurements to be taken when VTF activities are complete

• Vibration Tracking and Measuring: Measured the cabinet interior, inspection of the mounting method, and started researching possible vibration dampeners.

• M6 troubleshooting - repaired using spare on hand. RMA obtained and a replacement to be restocked.

• M4 cleaning

  • Updated full aperture cleaning procedure

• PV vendor contacts

• Vibration tracking and measuring

  • Ordered and configured dampers to test on the Coude drive cabinet fan assembly. Damping configuration finished to be tested for efficacy.

  • DAS’s are back online

  • Accelerometer cables ready for installation once VTF is installed, accelerometers installed and tested

  • VBI first set of vibrations recorded and analyzed

• Support for M3 alignment

  • Finalized the LT support, start work on a theodolite interface

  • Updated M3 spare alignment procedure

  • Received re-coated M3, undergoing pressure test in the onsite prep lab.

• CO2 clean M1 and M2, inspect HS

5.6 Management

• SPIE Ground-Based and Airborne Telescopes - Conference schedule development w co-chairs. Schedule submitted and finalized; SPIE has sent author notifications and published the programme.

• Closed out Chiller 1 & 2 Commissioning services contracts with delivery of commissioning balancing data.

• Ongoing RFQ for Hybrid van/transit trade - 2 more vans included in SFR acquisition, the acquisition (along with trade-in of 2 used transit vans) was completed in February.

• NSF Research Infrastructure Working Group - preparations for workshop in March

• VTF support

  • Disposal of excess Telescope insulation and creation of storage space for VTF air freight.

  • Coordination with VTF Freight Forwarder, and local handler Rojac for VTF containers delivery to site.

• Received elevator certifications, remedial work is complete!

• Coordination of storm recovery

• Held HAT meeting, reviewed documents LOTO-0003 to include minor servicing exemptions (e.g. optic covers), and SAF-0016 Electrical Safety program, to include electrical device LOTO qualifications for mechanical servicing procedures, when can be done safely to improve staffing efficiency for these PMs

5.6.1 Recruitment & Training

• Preparations for Mechanical Supervisor interview were made in January, and the interview held on February. An offer is in work.

• Mechanical Technician whose relocation and start date had been postponed from September 2023 to March 2024 has declined the role due to the rental market in Maui - it did not look possible for him to rent a home for his family with wage offered in the current housing climate. We will be re-posting/refreshing the advertisement, which was only one of two vacancies to be filled, a kickoff meeting was held with the AURA Recruitment manager with objective to perform targeted recruitment of locally existent potential staff.

5.6.2 Environmental Safety & Health

• Monthly Rodent Grid Inspections and restocking were completed.

• No OSHA recordable injuries, first aid, damage or near hits reported.

• Training: 

  • VTF, Vertiv, Gold Coast Gutters site safety orientations and fall protection. 

  • Fire extinguisher/fall pro refresher training on site closure days

  • Supervisor tactical training.

  • LOTO Review

  • OSHA 10 assignments for supervisors

5.6.3 Observatory Community Service, Broadening Participation 

• Submitted project ideas for Akamai Internship Program, held meetings with Akamai program director and manager.

• Ka Ipu Kukui Fellows Site Visit - Ka Ipu Kukui is a program of the Maui Economic Development Board, developing leaders in the Maui Community. This year’s cohort includes a member of TechOps staff.

• TechOps staff participated in two technology career panels for Journey to the Sun, an event of NSO’s EPO held the week of February 12th.

• The Maui Economic Development Board hosted an “Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day” in February. Members of TechOps and one Instrumentation Group staff member supported this event.

6 Instrumentation Operations (Bret, Friedrich, and Dave H.)

6.1 Optics

6.1.1 System Optics

• Coatings completed on the M3 Spare. An extended high temperature vacuum bake out was included to suppress RTV out-gassing-induced coating contamination. Samples as well as direct measurement of the optic coating show good reflectivity performance.

• Development of a very durable protected silver coating is proceeding for the heat stop copper substrate building on coating tests done for MCAO field sampling mirror coating optics.

• A DSSC lab interferometric setup was installed and nearly aligned on the second optical bench using the old PhaseCam6000 from Sunspot. This system should allow instrument component verification in the near future.
  

• The DSSC lab profilometer (4D NanoCam) is beginning use along with two new MicroScanII surface roughness and bidirectional reflectance distribution function (BRDF) tools. The NanoCam was diagnosed to have an internal camera issue and also internal optics issues. We’re working with the vendor on repairs. These will be used in assessment of optics, coating response, and system optic surface roughness tracking.
  

• The DSSC lab spectropolarimeter was improved to allow filter transmission measurements at very high blocking density. The various spectrographs had internal limitations typically in the OD4 to OD5 range. New bandpass filters installed and tested in February show OD8 noise limits (10 parts per billion). Filter tests for Cryo-NIRSP blocking filters, DL-NIRSP cold filters, and VBI blocking filters show achieved limits for all 5 of the spectrographs used to cover 360-1100nm. Example graphs below show the multiple lab spectrographs measuring narrow spectral features (leaks) similar to those known to cause ghosts and stray light in DKIST instruments. These narrow spectral leaks must be measured to prove filters pass specs.
  

6.1.2 Facility Instrument Distribution Optics (FIDO)

• The leaky-940 coating development is progressing. Additional assessment of the narrow coating spectral features in DSSC lab data suggested a coating design change to ensure intensity and polarization artifacts are not close to key VBI and ViSP science observing wavelengths. DSSC lab metrology was at much higher spectral resolving power and much more accurately calibrated in wavelength leading the vendor to revise their internal metrology and re-assess the design.

• The GS30T500 production coatings were quoted. Zygo is close to done with the rough polish of the glass substrate and should begin grinding in front surface curvature (power) in anticipation of coating stress compensation.
  

6.1.3 Polarization Analysis and Calibration (PA&C)

• A fringe-suppressed modulator for 1080nm and 1430nm bands was developed on a rapid timeline. Special AR coatings were pursued in multiple coating development runs to achieve ~0.03% reflectivity at 1080nm and 1430nm. Interference fringes should be suppressed by >50x from the current 1-2% range to roughly 0.01% or less. Windows arrived and were coated in January. Retarder assembly was done at Meadowlark Optics in February. DKIST science staff did the RTV bonding, polarization acceptance metrology and cell-to-rotary-stage optical alignment in the DSSC labs. A shortage of the specific UV-cured adhesive has led to additional work on fabricating spares.

• Fabrication work on a set if ViSP retarders continues with improvements in spatial uniformity finally achieving expected levels from Meadowlark Optics. DSSC Science staff worked on spatial retardance mapping and documentation of prior test results to help improve the fabrication techniques and update tolerance analysis parameters.
  

6.2 Summit Instrumentation

6.2.1 Instrument Systems

• January and February 2024 had the focus on the support of the ongoing VTF installation.

• Several tests were performed in collaboration with TechOps to identify paths forward to reduce the impact of certain vibration sources.

6.2.2 Wavefront Correction System (WFS)

• Review and interview of potential candidates for the Adaptive Optics Specialist. Their task will be to investigate paths forward to further enhance performance of the Wavefront Correction System, while supporting Science Operations.

6.2.3 Visible Spectro-Polarimeter (ViSP)

• Installation of camera in VISP arm. The camera had required vendor maintenance to avoid condensation on the sensor.

• Installed a new heat dump, as the old one had corroded from the coolant.

• Cleaning of optics such as the VISP entrance slit assembly.

6.2.4 Diffraction Limited Near-Infrared Spectro-Polarimeter (DL-NIRSP)

• Investigated vacuum leaks in the dewars and repaired them.

• Installed new cold filter in IR camera 3.

• Replace/serviced compressors for IR cameras.

6.2.5 Cryogenic Near-Infrared Spectro-Polarimeter (Cryo-NIRSP)

• New warm filter wheel installed.

• New modulator optimized for the wavelength range around 1um installed.

• New blocking dichroic filter (based on FIDO formula) is ready to suppress narrow spectral leaks in the Alluxa bandpass filters. This new blocking filter is measured in the DSSC lab, mounted, and ready for install. A motorized mounting location within CN was identified and prepared along with ongoing software modifications to allow for remote use of this new blocking filter. Some unexpected vendor (Salvo) glass fabrication delays required the team to quickly procure commercial alternate substrates, and apply an additional fringe-suppressing back side AR coating.
  
  

6.2.6 Visible Broadband Imager

• Enhanced band blocking filters installed in VBI blue and red channels to remove any VBI filter leaks and prepare for grey-FIDO optic use. The acceptance metrology and density measurements were done at the DSSC to ensure blocking at high density.

• VBI cameras removed and installed preliminarily in the VTF, vendor updated cameras installed in both VBI channels.

• Vibrations induced by VBI cameras stages investigated to find best mitigation path.

• Corroding cooling lines maintained.

6.7 Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO)

• MCAO custom cameras delivered by vendor are being integrated into the MCAO wavefront sensor, and the control software is being debugged.

6.8 High Level Software (HLS)

• Pono 5 and 6 software upgrades deployed on summit.

6.9 Infrared Cameras

• New contract for delivery of controllers is being drafted and reviewed.

7 Data Center Operations (Bob and Alisdair)

7.1 Hardware Infrastructure

• Investigated object locking in Ceph. Results of the investigation will inform architectural decisions that pertain to storgae and movement of L0 and L1 data from Locked buckets

7.2 Software Infrastructure

7.2.1 Data Center

• Updated the dkist-header-validator and dkist-fits-specifications applications to allow a more nuanced definition of “requiredness of header keys and updated simulators to account for changes.

• Updated the trial pipeline framework to produce asdf files and inventory data

7.2.2 Portal/Archive/Public

• updated the spatial filter on the portal with new rectangle search parameters.

• update links on the portal to point to updated URLS on the NSO. website

7.3 Science Data Processing

7.3.1 Calibration Pipelines

• Continued working on the cryo pipepeline -

  • modified write-L1 to handle nested slit scans in a single map repeat

  • fixing spectral curvature

  • spectral dispersion flip and scale correction

7.3.1 Data Released

• Since the Manual Processing Worker (MPW) was completed - the DC worked on processing data that could not be processed en-masse because of a peculiarity in the L0 data.

• All of the data that was released this month was older data that was awaiting the completion of the MPW.

• 17 new data sets were created this month

• 49 datasets were made public this month

New Datasets

Datasets Made Public