Session Notes for RD0902 Prepared by D. Behrend, NVI, Inc./GSFC =========================================================== PURPOSE AND GENERAL NOTES =========================================================== The purpose of RD0902 is to support the target of opportunity observation of the close approach of Saturn to a compact radio source (1125+062). Following a proposal by O. Titov (Geoscience Australia), the approach of Saturn to the source 1125+062 to within 1.32 arcminutes at 05:56 UT on 10-Feb-2009 will be used to indicate the gravity retardation effect and test the theory of general relativity. This experiment uses 6 IVS stations and 2 VLBA stations. The 2 VLBA stations KP-VLBA and LA-VLBA are scheduled from 041-033000 through 041-153000, Medicina from the start of the experiment through 041-070000 (following their respective station availabilities). The schedule is structured in two changing subnets of 2-5 stations each. One subnet is observing the target source 1125+062 plus two calibrator sources (1055+018 and 1219+044) in repetitive cycles of 10 scans on target and 1 scan on calibrator. The second subnet is observing a regular geodetic sequence with optimized sky coverage. The frequency sequence is a modified RDV sequence: the sequence for the VLBA stations is unchanged with 8 channels; the sequence for the geodetic stations is augmented to cover 14 channels. The channels and sky frequencies are as follows: VLBA | Geodetic Chan Sky | Chan Sky 1 X 8405.99 | 1 X 8215.99 2 X 8475.99 | 2 X 8255.99 3 X 8790.99 | 3 X 8405.99 4 X 8895.99 | 4 X 8475.99 5 S 2232.99 | 5 X 8790.99 6 S 2262.99 | 6 X 8855.99 7 S 2352.99 | 7 X 8895.99 8 S 2372.99 | 8 X 8935.99 | 9 S 2232.99 | 10 S 2242.99 | 11 S 2262.99 | 12 S 2292.99 | 13 S 2352.99 | 14 S 2372.99 An extra 3 seconds is added at the start of each scan for correlator synchronization. These extra seconds are not included in the calculation of the scan SNR. This session must be recorded on Mk5 disks. Multiple disk modules may be required. Stations must plan for disk changes by referring to the drudg listings that display the number of Gb recorded during the experiment. =========================================================== Parameter values for experiment RD0902 Experiment: RD0902 Description R&D Experiment Scheduler: DB Correlator: HAYSTACK Start: 2009-040-17:00:00 End: 2009-041-17:00:00 Current yyyyddd: 2009040 (2009.11) ( 14872 MJD, MON. 9FEB.) Greenwich sidereal time: 2:19: 0.00 (17: 0: 0 UT) Sun's RA and DEC: 21h 33.9m -14d 28.2 =========================================================== First observations Observation listing from file ./rd0902.skd for experiment RD0902 Source Start DURATIONS name yyddd-hhmmss Bd Ho Kp La Ma Mc Pa Ys 1055+018 09040-170000| 40 40 40 | 1803+784 09040-170000| 40 40 40| ...... 1125+062 09041-033057| 400 400 400 400| 2141+175 09041-033255| 59 59 53 | ...... 1055+018 09041-035223| 40 40 40 40 40| 1125+062 09041-035337| 360 360 360 360 360| ...... End of listing. =========================================================== Last observations Observation listing from file ./rd0902.skd for experiment RD0902 Source Start DURATIONS name yyddd-hhmmss Bd Ho Kp La Ma Mc Pa Ys ...... 1125+062 09041-065757| 80 80 80 80| 1125+062 09041-065943| 80 80 80 80| ...... 1125+062 09041-152840| 150 150 150 | 1803+784 09041-152931| 40 40 40 40| ...... 2234+282 09041-165904| 40 40| 1055+018 09041-165929| 40 40 40 | End of listing. =========================================================== SKED Summary from file ./rd0902.skd for experiment RD0902 (all scans with at least one subnet station) 4 chars/hour SOURCE | 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 | #SCANS #OBS #Obs/bl 2358+189| x x xx x x x x x x x x | 12 37 8.2 0003-066| x xx x x x x x x x x x x x | 14 26 4.4 0016+731| x x x x x x x x x x x x x x | 14 32 2.1 0048-427| x | 1 1 0.3 0106+013| x xx x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x | 18 41 8.3 0109+224| x x x x x x x x x | 9 28 6.1 0115-214| x x | 2 4 0.8 0133+476| x x x x x x x xx x x x | 12 28 2.7 0215+015| x x x x x x x | 7 13 2.2 0227-369| x x x | 3 7 3.8 0239+175| x x x x | 4 15 3.8 0308-611| | 0 0 0.0 CTA26 | x x x x x x x x x x x x x | 13 23 3.1 0340+362| x | 1 3 0.3 0358+210| | 0 0 0.0 0414-189| x x x x xx x x xx | 10 20 2.8 0422-380| x x x x x | 5 11 6.2 0446+112| x x x x xx x x xx | 10 18 1.7 0506-612| | 0 0 0.0 0454+844| | 0 0 0.0 0537-441| | 0 0 0.0 0552+398| x x x x xx x x x | 9 19 2.1 0556+238| | 0 0 0.0 0606-223| x x x x | 4 12 1.9 0613+570| x x x | 3 7 0.5 0716+714| x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x x | 17 42 2.8 0727-115| x x x x | 4 12 1.4 0738+491| x x x x x x x x | 8 18 1.6 0743+277| | 0 0 0.0 0748+126| x x x x x x | 6 14 1.1 OJ287 | x x x x x | 5 15 1.1 0912+029| | 0 0 0.0 0920-397| | 0 0 0.0 0925-203| | 0 0 0.0 OK290 | x x x | 3 9 0.6 0955+476| x xx x x x x x x | 9 23 2.1 1013+054| | 0 0 0.0 1034-293| | 0 0 0.0 1053+704| x x | 2 6 0.4 1055+018| x x x x x x x x x xx x x xx x x x x xxx x x x x | 26 79 13.3 1057-797| x | 1 1 1.8 1059+282| | 0 0 0.0 1125+062|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| 489 1662 290.5 1144+402| xx | 2 6 0.6 1144-379| x | 1 1 0.2 1149-084| | 0 0 0.0 1219+044| x x x x x x x x x xx x x x xx x x x x x x x x | 24 67 10.5 3C274 | | 0 0 0.0 1244-255| x | 1 1 0.2 1308+328| | 0 0 0.0 1308+554| | 0 0 0.0 1352-104| x x x | 3 3 0.4 1406-267| x x x x | 4 4 0.7 1417+385| | 0 0 0.0 1424-418| x x x x x| 5 5 1.3 1432+200| | 0 0 0.0 1520+319| | 0 0 0.0 1546+027| x x x| 3 3 0.4 1550-242| xx x x x x x| 7 11 3.2 1610-771| x x | 2 2 3.7 NRAO512 | x x | 2 2 0.2 1639+230| x x | 2 2 0.7 1639-062| x x x x x xx x| 9 13 2.0 1657-261| x x | 2 4 8.5 1739+522| x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x | 18 47 3.8 1741-038| x x x x x x x x x| 9 15 2.2 1754+155| x x x | 3 7 1.2 1803+784| x x x x x x x xx x x | 11 32 2.1 1759-396|x x x x | 4 4 0.8 1815-553| x x x | 3 3 6.5 1846+322| xx x x x x x x | 8 17 2.2 1908-201|x x x x | 4 4 0.5 1954-388| x x x x x x x | 7 7 1.4 2000+148| x x x x | 4 12 2.0 2008-159| x x x xx x xx x x x x x x x x | 16 36 6.1 3C418 | x x x x x x x x x x | 10 29 2.5 2059+034| x x x x | 4 6 0.8 2141+175| x xx x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x | 20 48 7.3 3C446 |x x x xx x x x xx x xx x x x x xx x x x x x | 24 63 13.1 2234+282| x xx x x x x x x x x xx x x x x x x x x x x x x x | 26 52 6.3 2255-282| x x x xx x x x | 8 10 4.4 2309+454| | 0 0 0.0 2318+049| | 0 0 0.0 Total scans, obs: 967 2742 4 chars/hour STATN | 0 3 6 9 12 15 18 21 | #SCANS #OBS %OBS BADARY |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| 345 750 27.4 HOBART26|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxx xx xxx x xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| 318 606 22.1 KP-VLBA | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | 353 624 22.8 LA-VLBA | xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx | 355 630 23.0 MATERA |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| 411 879 32.1 MEDICINA|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx| 229 598 21.8 PARKES |xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx x xx xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxx| 257 476 17.4 YEBES40M|xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx| 429 921 33.6 Average number of obs. per baseline per source(normalized by up-time) = 7.2 Min = 0.0 Max = 673.9 (Baseline Kp-La on 1125+062) RMS = 40.6 Total time: 1440 minutes ( 24.0 hours). Key: Bd=BADARY Ho=HOBART26 Kp=KP-VLBA La=LA-VLBA Ma=MATERA Mc=MEDICINA Pa=PARKES64 Ys=YEBES40M Bd Ho Kp La Ma Mc Pa Ys Avg % obs. time: 52 45 39 40 62 46 31 54 46 % cal. time: 3 2 1 1 3 1 2 3 2 % slew time: 27 20 1 1 18 5 27 17 15 % idle time: 17 32 58 57 16 47 39 25 37 total # scans: 345 318 353 355 411 229 257 429 337 # scans/hour : 14 13 15 15 17 10 11 18 14 Avg scan (sec): 131 121 96 98 130 174 104 108 120 # data tracks: 16 16 8 8 16 16 16 16 # Mk5 tracks: 16 16 8 8 16 16 16 16 Total GBytes: 1632 1387 608 625 1925 1435 962 1673 1281 Total GB(M5): 1451 1233 540 555 1711 1276 855 1487 1139 # of tapes : 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 tape change times (hhmm): Total number of tapes: 8.0 Total GBytes (M5) recorded: 9109.1 # OF OBSERVATIONS BY BASELINE | Bd Ho Kp La Ma Mc Pa Ys StnTotal -------------------------------------------------- Bd| 199 16 14 170 61 155 135 750 Ho| 51 49 29 17 253 8 606 Kp| 351 39 40 35 92 624 La| 43 44 33 96 630 Ma| 222 0 376 879 Mc| 0 214 598 Pa| 0 476 Ys| 921 Number of 2-station scans: 403 Number of 3-station scans: 415 Number of 4-station scans: 99 Number of 5-station scans: 50 Number of 6-station scans: 0 Number of 7-station scans: 0 Number of 8-station scans: 0 Total # of scans, observations: 967 2742 =========================================================== Recording mode Name Code GEOSX SX Recording mode setup for: BADARY MATERA MEDICINA PARKES YEBES40M Mode Tot.Rate Tot.BandW #chan #bits Barrel Mk341:2 256.000 Mbits 128.000 MHz 14 1 16 Chan.BW #Subpasses Tracks(*fan) Tot.tracks Speed 8.00 MHz 1 16(*2) 32 0.00 X-band spanned bw= 720.0 MHz rms spanned bw= 278.7 MHz S-band spanned bw= 140.0 MHz rms spanned bw= 53.2 MHz Effective number of channels recorded per sub-pass X S Total 10.000 6.000 16.000 Recording mode setup for: HOBART26 Mode Tot.Rate Tot.BandW #chan #bits Barrel Mk341:2 256.000 Mbits 128.000 MHz 14 1 NONE Chan.BW #Subpasses Tracks(*fan) Tot.tracks Speed 8.00 MHz 1 16(*2) 32 0.00 X-band spanned bw= 720.0 MHz rms spanned bw= 278.7 MHz S-band spanned bw= 140.0 MHz rms spanned bw= 53.2 MHz Effective number of channels recorded per sub-pass X S Total 10.000 6.000 16.000 Recording mode setup for: LA-VLBA KP-VLBA Mode Tot.Rate Tot.BandW #chan #bits Barrel VLBA1:4 128.000 Mbits 64.000 MHz 8 1 NONE Chan.BW #Subpasses Tracks(*fan) Tot.tracks Speed 8.00 MHz 1 8(*4) 32 0.00 X-band spanned bw= 490.0 MHz rms spanned bw= 206.1 MHz S-band spanned bw= 140.0 MHz rms spanned bw= 58.9 MHz Effective number of channels recorded per sub-pass X S Total 4.000 4.000 8.000 =========================================================== Tape types ID Station Tape length Density Passes Bd BADARY Mark5A Ho HOBART26 Mark5A La LA-VLBA Mark5A Ma MATERA Mark5A Mc MEDICINA Mark5A Pa PARKES Mark5A Kp KP-VLBA Mark5A Ys YEBES40M Mark5A =========================================================== SNR Targets Minimum SNR by baseline for multi-baseline scans X-band (margin 5) S-band (margin 3) Bd Ho Kp La Ma Mc Pa Bd Ho Kp La Ma Mc Pa Ho 20 Ho 15 Kp 20 20 Kp 15 15 La 20 20 20 La 15 15 15 Ma 20 20 20 20 Ma 15 15 15 15 Mc 20 20 20 20 20 Mc 15 15 15 15 15 Pa 20 20 20 20 20 20 Pa 15 15 15 15 15 15 Ys 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 Ys 15 15 15 15 15 15 15 ====================================================================== DISK MODULE CHANGES ====================================================================== This session will require 1 or 2 disk modules, depending on the sizes that you have available at your station. DRUDG does not know the sizes, so it shows an ever-increasing GByte count. Please be aware that you may have to change modules during this session, and plan accordingly. There are a few of things to consider: 1) It is desriable to precondition all modules ahead of time that you will use for the session. Recording often works better if the modules have been preconditioned since their last shipment. If you don't have time to precondition all the modules that are needed, plus one or two spares, please precondition as many as you can. 2) Mark module change times. Select the modules you will use for this session, note their sizes, and then mark by hand the places in the schedule where a module change will be necessary, and which bank will need to be changed. You can use the drudg Option 5 listing for this purpose. Unfortunately it is not possible to predict the module change times exactly. For various reasons, a module can be finished at a different time, usually earlier than expected. As long as a module does not end a great deal earlier than expected, this should not cause a problem. 3) Change modules promptly. When a module is full, the FS will automatically switch to the next one and put up a notice that you should change the old one. It is good practice to change the module as soon as possible after it is called for, because then a new one is available in case the module in use should end prematurely for some reason. If you have any questions, please contact Ed Himwich (Ed.Himwich@nasa.gov).