MIPS_250a CR Limits


IOC-MIPS_250a     10240C,10230C            
Title:   Cosmic-ray limits on integration times              
                   
Objective:   To determine the maximum useful MIPS integration times in the              
    presence of cosmic-ray hits.              
                   
Description:   While illuminating the detectors at a low level with the stimulators, take images              
    at many different integration times up to the maximum allowed value to              
    evaluate the trade off between "background limited" and "not completely           Related: Low-background data taken at
    swamped with particle hits."             different integration times to exercise the system.
    For example, this could be accomplished by executing a series of photometry              
    AOTs over a range of integration times from 3 to 60 seconds.              
    E.g., 3, 10, 30, and 60 seconds.              
                   
Place in Schedule:   For 24um, the backgrd radiance must be less than 1.0E-11 W/cm2/sr (< 30K).              
    For 70um, the backgrd radiance must be less than 1.0E-12 W/cm2/sr (< 12 K).              
    For 160um, the backgrd radiance must be less than 5.4E-13 W/cm2/sr (< 6 K).              
    It may be possible to split this test into parts executed at different times based              
    on telescope temperature.              
    Location of MIPS apertures must be completed.              
    Basic instrument commanding and functionality must have been confirmed.              
                   
Required Conditions:   CTA temperature must be low enough that stray light is much lower              
    (20 %) than the background sky level in each band.              
    Boresite pointed to batch of sky without bright sources.              
    Pointing accuracy is not at all critical (better than a few arcminutes is fine),              
    but sources shouldn't be drifting across the array and so stability should be              
    better than 1" (about 1/2 a 24um pixel) over 60 seconds.              
                   
Resources:                  
                   
  duration (best estimate)         22 minutes      
  real time downlink (Y / N)         No      
  special post event actions (Y / N)         Special data analysis      
                   
Outcome:                  
  description         SUR data for each MIPS array      
  can proceed in parallel with other activity         Yes      
  must outcome be confirmed before next event / test /activity         No      
  method of confirmation (sensor TLM, data analysis, etc.)         Data analysis      
  estimate of data turn around if required for confirmation         48 hrs      
  number of DCEs generated         144      
                   
Unique or included in planned uplink or downlink/analysis tool           Can use photometry AOT      
            Special data analysis      
                   
Contingency Plan:           Acquire required data through normal operations.      
"What if..."           This is a test of conditions external to SIRTF and      
            cannot fail.      
                   
IOC Critical           N      
                   
References:                  
                   
Template last updated:           12-Sep-99      
            C.W. Engelbracht      
                   


Last Updated on 10/7/99
By Marcia Rieke
Email: mrieke@as.arizona.edu