The National Science Foundation’s Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) is pleased to share the following information to assist with early proposal planning for Cycle 3 during its Operations Commissioning Phase (OCP). Full details will be published in the Cycle 3 Call for Proposals.
Dates and Deadlines
Key Dates for Cycle 3 | |
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Release of Cycle 3 Proposal Call and Proposal Tool | May 15, 2024, 07:00 GMT |
Opening of Submission Window | May 15, 2024, 07:00 GMT |
Closing of Submission Window (Proposal submission deadline) | June 12, 2024, 23:00 GMT Please be aware that late Proposals (after the deadline has passed) or Proposals not submitted through the Proposal Submission Tool (Proposal Architect) will not be accepted. |
Anticipated Execution Window (observing) | February 2025 - November 2025 |
Science Priorities and Research Targets
In Cycle 3, we continue to prioritize those proposals that aim to study active regions (specifically their fine-structure throughout the sun’s atmosphere as observable by the DKIST) requesting on-disk AR targets (e.g. sunspots, pores, active region filaments) or aim to study the corona off-limb (with the Cryogenic Near-Infrared Spectro-Polarimeter - Cryo-NIRSP). The latter is specifically to further the understanding of the corona through the coronagraphic capabilities of the DKIST.
All pointing targets are allowed and only constrained by individual instruments.
Pointing Target Types | |
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Off-limb observations and respective targets only:
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Visible Broadband Imager (VBI) and Visible Spectro-Polarimeter (ViSP) | On-disk and at/near-limb observations and respective targets:
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Proposers should be aware that observations of limb spicules with the VBI and ViSP require a very well defined and stable lock-point target for the HOAO system in close proximity to the limb and likely offsetting the HOAO system in addition to very good and stable observing conditions. This implies that despite the fact that spicules are always present, these observations are very demanding and the nominal risk is inherently enhanced (specifically regarding spatial resolution). | |
Observing Capabilities
Observing Capabilities | |
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Instruments | Cycle 3 will offer the following instruments: |
The DL-NIRSP is not offered through the Proposal Call and cannot be requested. However, after sufficient testing of the upgraded DL-NIRSP in 2024, the DKIST may work with interested Proposers of accepted proposals what concurrent shared-risk DL-NIRSP observations could be added to their experiment. Proposers should only expect that this will include the two infra-red arms using the He I 1083 nm and Fe I 1565 nm spectral lines. | |
Combining Instruments | Combining the ViSP and the VBI Blue and/or Red channels will be facilitated through three different configurations of the Facility Instrument Distribution Optics (FIDO).
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Proposers are not required to combine post-WFC instruments and can choose to request only one instrument in stand-alone mode. If Proposers decide to request the ViSP without the VBI, a default VBI configuration will be added by DKIST Science Operations. Cycle 3 will not support using the Cryo-NIRSP and post-WFC instrumentation within the same Proposal even if the requested observations are separated out during the day or on consecutive days. | |
Visible Broadband Imager Blue channel (VBI-B) | The VBI-Blue will be offered with its Ca II K, G-Band, Blue Continuum and H-Beta filters, respectively, depending on the choice of the coudé configuration. Proposers are not required to use all available filters. |
Visible Broadband Imager Red channel (VBI-R) | The VBI-Red will be offered with its H-Alpha, Red-Continuum, TiO and Fe XI filters, respectively, depending on the choice of the coudé configuration. Proposers are not required to use all available filters. The VBI-Red is not available under the FIDO configurations 1a and 1c. |
Visible Spectro-Polarimeter (ViSP) | The ViSP will be offered in its intensity and polarimetric mode limited to the 0.2 arcsec, 0.1 arcsec and 0.05 arcsec slit widths and the following spectral lines: Ca II K 393 nm, Ca II H 397 nm, Sr I 460 nm, H-Beta 486 nm, Mg I b2 517, Na I D1 589, Fe I 525, Fe I 630, H-Alpha 656 nm, Ca II 854 nm. Proposers are not required to use all three arms of the ViSP. |
Please be aware that specifically when including the Ca II H and/or K lines in the observation, the frame rate and cadence that the instrument can achieve is reduced (<20 Hz) due to the increased exposure times. | |
Cryo-NIRSP | The Cryo-NIRSP spectrograph (SP) and context imager (CI) are offered during Cycle 3 for off-limb observations only. Observations by the spectrograph will be limited to Fe XIII 1074.7 nm, Fe XIII 1079.8 nm, He I 1083 nm, and Si X 1430 nm spectral lines. Unlike the other lines, the Si X 1430 bandpass is limited to spectroscopy-only. The ~4.5 nm bandwidth of the SP allows only one line to be observed at a single time. Observations of multiple lines can be acquired sequentially, but not at a fast cadence. A combination of spectroscopy and spectropolarimetry can be used within a single experiment for the selected lines. The context imager is offered in the He I 1083 nm bandpass only. Two separate programs with mostly predefined settings for spectroscopic or spectropolarimetric observations are offered that Proposers can select from and use to build a custom experiment (very similar to Cycle 2): a coronal (off-limb) program and a prominence (and/or coronal rain) program. |
FIDO independent combination | Proposers should be aware that there is a FIDO independent combination that can always be executed only needing some minor exposure time adjustment for the VBI Blue with minimal impact on summit operations:
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Proposal Process
To familiarize yourself with the Proposing process during the DKIST’s Operations Commissioning Phase we recommend visiting the following information.
Please be aware that some of the information below - while providing a good overview - has not been updated for Cycle 3 yet. That should only be expected once the proposal submission window opens and the Cycle 3 Proposal Call is released.
Proposal Process | |
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Proposing Overview | |
Proposal Preparation and Submission | https://nso.edu/dkist/proposal-preparation/ Please be aware that late Proposals (after the deadline has passed) or Proposals not submitted through the Proposal Submission Tool (Proposal Architect) will not be accepted. |
Proposal Preparation and Submission Tool (a.k.a. Proposal Architect) | https://proposals.dkist.nso.edu/welcome The Proposal Preparation and Submission Tool is accessible but not updated to its Cycle 3 version yet. The Science Justification and Observing Strategy templates are not final yet. Please be aware of that the Proposal Preparation and Submission Tool will only allow to save information once the submission window opens. |
Walk Through Instructions for Proposal Architect | |
Proposal Selection | |
New Investigators/Proposers | |
If you are new to the process | https://nso.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/3/article/1864433681 |
Data Center
To familiarize yourself with the DKIST Data Center, we recommend visiting the following information.
Data Center | |
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Searching, browsing and downloading of data | |
Data Center Search Portal Manual | |
DKIST Data Center User Tools | |
Known Data Issues | |
Getting Help
Help Desk | |
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Help Desk Portal | |
Knowledgebase | https://nso.atlassian.net/servicedesk/customer/portal/3/article/106103069 |