JCMT Observation Management Project

JCMT Observation Management Project Dynamic / Flexible / Reactive Telescope Scheduling

Overview Background of Flexible/Dynamic Observing Implications for Operations JCMT Developments Conclusions

Flexible Scheduling: the norm rather than the exception Classical observing judged too inefficient Essential to gain access to rarely available wavelengths bands Observatory black box: the average observer follows standard recipes Remote access: physical presence of the observer unnecessary

Flexible Scheduling Always schedule those observing projects at the telescope for which the current conditions are optimal If the conditions drift outside certain boundaries, the observations are halted and a new project is selected

Flexible Scheduling Pro’s: It optimizes the scientific return in terms of quantity Flexible scheduling is critical for the completion of projects which need rarely occurring conditions Con: P.I. not present, hence concerns over the quality A flexibly scheduled observatory is project oriented rather than observer oriented

Classical Scheduling Pro: The P.I. controls the observations => strategy and the quality of the data will be optimal (debatable but seldom contested by the observers) Con: Inefficient: conditions needed for the primary project may never arise Classical scheduling is observer oriented rather than project oriented

Service Observing The concept of flexible and classical scheduling is intimately connected with the concept of service and P.I. observing However, these two concepts are in fact orthogonal

Factors which decide Observation Mode Dependence upon variable conditions Interactive level and length observations Overall data rate and amount of processing Social factors: receptiveness to serviced observing Practical issues e.g. observatory staffing Tradition

Basic Requirement Flexibly scheduled observations should at minimum result in data equal in quality to those of an average experienced observer

JCMT Observation Management Project Flexible Scheduling P I E L N O B S D E K Q M U A E N E G M E N T Flexible Scheduling

JCMT Observation Management Project L N

JCMT Observation Management Project D E K

Scunoise

Sourceplot

Scusky

Obslog

JCMT Observation Management Project Q M U A E N E G M E N T

End-of-Night Report

Still to come RMS Calculator: given source, time and weather conditions predicts expected rms. Queue Assistant: allows optimization of the queue indicates expected beginning and ending observation times and elevations/airmasses indicates expected rms is reactive to the progress of the actual queue

The observation process OBSDESK PHASE I Proposal writing Proposal submission Technical evaluation PATT process Observation Template & ODF files Tentative scheduling Observations Pipeline processing Observation log and initial assessment Feedback with P.I. If completed: Hand-over of data Sign-off on project PROCEDURES & COMMUNICATION JCMT-OT & SPIKE

BUG ZILLA Communications P.I. Scheduler Observer Queue Manager Off-the-Shelf Action-Request System Communications P.I. BUG ZILLA Scheduler Observer Procedures Queue Manager

Overview: Process Layer PHASE I Proposal Patt Allocation Long-term Scheduling Overview: Process Layer PHASE II Science Program Short-term Scheduling Observations Feedback PHASE III End-of-Project Report Data Hand-over Close of Project Data Archiving

Overview: Products Layer B S D PHASE I Proposals Tech. Assessments Allocations Long-term Schedule PHASE I Proposal Patt Allocation Long-term Scheduling Overview: Products Layer PHASE II Science Program Short-term Scheduling Observations Feedback PHASE II Templates & ODFs Plan for the night Observation Log Pipeline images AR CH I VE PHASE III Project Summary Data PHASE III End-of-Project Report Data Hand-over Close of Project Data Archiving

Overview: People Layer PHASE I Proposal Patt Allocation Long-term Scheduling PHASE I P.I. Scheduler TAC & Referees Staff Overview: People Layer PHASE II Science Program Short-term Scheduling Observations Feedback PHASE II Program Manager Observer P.I. Scheduler PHASE III End-of-Project Report Data Hand-over Close of Project Data Archiving PHASE III Program manager P.I. BUG ZILLA

Short-term Scheduling (JCMT-OT) ODF-generator End-of-Project Report PHASE I Proposal Patt Allocation Long-term Scheduling PHASE I (Phase-I tool) Rms calc. & Sourceplot Spike-LTS Overview: Tools Layer PHASE II Science Program Short-term Scheduling Observations Feedback PHASE II (JCMT-OT) ODF-generator Obsdesk Pipeline Spike-STS PHASE III End-of-Project Report Data Hand-over Close of Project Data Archiving PHASE III Project summary SURF Pipeline

Multi-purpose tools Multi-Moded I/O: Obslog Scunoise Sourceplot Scusky RMS calculator Queue Assistant Pipeline Multi-Moded I/O: Local (disk) Local (Screen) Remote (Web) Remote (Web) Archive Preparation phase Observation phase Evaluation phase