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SOAR Adaptive Optics Module (SAM)

Instrument Scientist: Andrei Tokovinin [1]
CTIO & Chile Instrument Support Scientists: Cesar Briceno, [2] Andrei Tokovinin [1]
Brazilian Instrument Support Scientists:

The SOAR Adaptive Module (SAM) is a laser-assisted adaptive optics system at the 4.1-m SOAR telescope. By compensating selectively low-altitude turbulence sensed by a UV laser guide-star, it improves resolution at visible wavelengths. The sky coverage is nearly full.  SAM contains a 4Kx4K CCD imager covering the 3-arcmin square field and can feed light to a small visitor instrument attached to its port (Tokovinin et al. 2016) [3].

For further information, contact the SAM Support staff [4].
 

SAM Documentation for Users

SAM Docs and Manuals for Support Staff

 

About SAM

Introduction
 

The SOAR Adaptive Module (SAM) is a laser-assisted adaptive optics instrument at the 4.1-m SOAR telescope. By compensating selectively low-altitude turbulence, it improves resolution at visible wavelengths. The instrument contains a 4Kx4K CCD imager covering the 3-arcmin square field.  The paper describing the instrument is Tokovinin et al. (2016). [3]
 

Images as sharp as 0.3′′ have been obtained under favorable conditions of weak high-altitude turbulence which happen ~50% of the scheduled SAM nights. Under such conditions, the typical FWHM resolution delivered by SAM is 0.4′′ in the I band and 0.5′′ in the V band. The compensation quality is uniform over the field (FWHM variation of few percent). On nights with strong high turbulence (which does not necessarily mean poor seeing), SAM brings only a marginal resolution gain in closed loop and delivers V -band FWHM between 0.6′′ and 1′′.
 

The first paper using SAM commissioning data on the globular cluster NGC 6496 was published by Fraga et al. (2013, [16] AJ, 145, 165) [16]. It demonstrates that the photometric precision and limiting magnitude in crowded stellar fields are improved by using the SAM AO system and that good-quality photometry can be derived from the SAMI images. 

In the figure 1 from Fraga et al. 2013 shown above,  we show the full-frame image of NGC 6496 in the I-band taken with the SAM Imager (SAMI; north is up, east to the left). The enlarged fragments of 15 × 12 arcsecond size compare closed-loop (upper) and open-loop (lower) images taken with the same exposure time of 120 s and displayed on the same intensity scale, at the center and near the edge of the field.  
 
SAM in Numbers [9]
 

Documentation for the SAM User

Documentation for the SAM Operator (SAM Support Scientist)

Filters for SAMI

SAMI has one filter wheel with 7 positions for 3 inch square filters.  We have acquired two new broadband filter sets for exclusive use with SAMI: a Kron-Cousins BVRI set and a SDSS griz set. We also have new Ha, NI, [NII] and [SII] narrow band filters, in addition to several redshifted Ha filters designed for the Fabry-Perot module (more details in this link [26]). The table below shows the updated list of available filters, with the vendor-supplied transmission curves.
 

Filter Name Filter Set Central wavelength (Å) FWHM Width (Å) Transmission Curve
SAMI-B  K-C 4400 1000 Plot [27]
SAMI-V  K-C 5500 800 Plot [28]
SAMI-R  K-C 6550 1800 Plot [29]
SAMI-I  K-C 7800 1050 Plot [30]
SAMI-g  SDSS 4750 735 Plot [31]
SAMI-r  SDSS 6250 735 Plot [32]
SAMI-i  SDSS 7750 765 Plot [33]
SAMI-z  SDSS 9500 2328 Plot [34]
SAMI-Ha Narrow 6563 75 Plot [35]
SAMI-[NI] Narrow 5180 55  
SAMI-[NII]6583 Narrow 6583 18 Plot [36]
SAMI-[SII] Narrow 6724 75 Plot [37]
SAMI-[SII]6738 Narrow 6738 27 Plot [38]
BTFI_5021/17 Narrow 5030.9 16.5  
BTFI_6569/20 BTFI 6569.2 18.6  
BTFI_6579/20 BTFI 6578.8 19.9  
BTFI_6600/20 BTFI 6600.5 19.3  
BTFI_6745/38 BTFI 6745 38.5  

Performance

 

SAM compensates partially turbulence in the atmospheric ground layer and in the telescope dome. The delivered image quality (DIQ) approaches the free-atmosphere seeing produced by turbulence above ~0.5km. When the free atmosphere is calm, SAM provides an appreciable gain in the DIQ, but when the total seeing is dominated by the free atmosphere, the gain from using SAM can be marginal and the DIQ can be mediocre. This is illustrated by the two figures below.

Left plot: on February 26, 2013, the free atmosphere (red line) was calm, the DIQ in the I band (blue dots) was between 0.3 and 0.4 arcsec FWHM - much better than the site seeing (black line). Right plot: one month before that, on January 29, 2013, the seeing was less stable and often dominated by the free atmosphere. In these conditions the DIQ could be worse than 1 arcsecond, and the resolution gain provided by SAM was variable. Note that the site seeing was similar on both nights. The performance of SAM depends on the free-atmosphere seeing , not on the total seeing!

Turbulence compensation in SAM is partial, better at longer wavelengths. The DIQ of SAM depends on the wavelength stronger than the natural seeing. The plot above shows the median DIQ for a good night of March 6, 2012, in closed (compensated) and open (uncompensated) loop. Yet another consequence of partial compensation is that the point-spread function is more "peaked" compared to the natural seeing. It can be modeled by a Moffat function with beta~2. With such PSF, the encircled energy is improved, but not as much as the FWHM resolution.

 

The plots below show FWHM resolution as function of the star position in the field. The data were obtained on a good night of March 3/4, 2013 in the I band, when SAM provided a very good resolution. The uniformity over the field is excellent. However, some degradation towards the field border is seen in the left plot. It is produced by partially compensated turbulrnce at low altitude.

This material is based on the SAM Commissioning report [39].

SAM in Numbers

AOM: optics                                

  • Focus depth w.r.t. flange surface: 150mm

  • OAP parameters:

    • Focal length 810mm

    • Off-axis distance 213.277mm

    • Diameter 175mm

  • Deformable mirror BIM-60

    • Number of electrodes: 60

    • Pupil diameter: 50mm, incidence angle: 12.5deg

    • Min. curvature radius (400V on all electrodes): 16.7m

  • Tip-Tilt guiders

    • Patrol field: 100x100mm (5x5 arcmin)

    • Probe field of view: 3x3arcsec

 

AOM - mass and dimensions

  • Total mass at installation (3-Aug-2009) ~300kg

  • Offset towards SOAR w.r.t. the ISB hole: 67.5m

 

SOAR telescope 

  • Aperture diameter 4.10m

  • Plate scale 0.330mm/arcsec or 3.025arcsec/mm

  • M1 curvature radius at vertex: -13.50970m

  • M1 conic constant: -1.002667

  • M2 curvature radius: -2.03265m

  • M1-M2 distance: 5.83922m

  • M2-M3 distance: 4.98922m

  • M3 to focus: 4250.0m

  • Effective focal length: 68.175m (F/16.63)

  • Focal surface radius: 0.9656m (convex outside)

  • Central obscuration: 0.228 (diameter 936.5mm)

 

Laser

  • Wavelength 355nm

  • Nominal power 10W

  • Nominal pulse frequency 10kHz, pulse length 34ns

  • Laser head size: 813x127x86mm, mass: 14.5kg

  • Typical power consumption: 400W laser, 700W chiller

  • Power supply size: 427x364x76mm, mass: 8.4kg

  • Chiller size: 533x440x264mm, mass 55kg

 

Electronics

 

Computers

 

HR camera

  • Pixel size 10 micron or 15.23mas

  • Format 658(H)x496(V) or 6.58x4.96mm or 10.0x7.55arcsec

 

SAMI

  • Pixel size 15micron or 45.5mas

  • 4Kx4K (3x3 arcmin on the sky)

  • Filters: TBD

Back to SAM webpage [40]
Last change: Dec-23-2014, César Briceño

Send comments to: Andrei Tokovinin [1]

SAM: instrument support staff

Instrument support scientists

Andrei Tokovinin (atokovinin@ctio.noao.edu [1])
Cesar Briceno (cbriceno@ctio.noao.edu [41])
 

Engineering support

Manuel Martinez (mmartinez@ctio.noao.edu [42]) - electronics, motion control software
Rolando Cantarutti (rcantarutti@ctio.noao.edu [43]) - real-time and instrument control software, HRCAM
Omar Estay (oestay@ctio.noao.edu [44]) - SAMI software
Roberto Tighe (rtighe@ctio.noao.edu [45]) - optics

Deep SAM AO Imaging of a distant young cluster

In a Jan 2018 paper, Kalari et al. 2018, ApJ, in press, report deep SAM AO images of the cluster NGC 796, located  at 59 kpc in the diffuse intergalactic medium of the Magallanic Bridge. SAM optical imaging enabled the team to observe at scale down to ~0.14 pc, and obtained resolved photometry of cluster stars to derive an age of 20 Myr by means of isochronal fitting on a color-magnitude diagram.  With a total estimated mass of ~1000 Msun and a core radius of ~1.4 pc, this massive young open cluster is an important laboratory for studies of star formation at low metallicities environments.
SAM 3' x 3' three-color image of NGC 796. Blue = g-band, Green = r-band, Red= i-band, with exposure times of 50s in each filter.  Noth is up, east is to the left. The scale is indicated by the horizontal bar at the bottom right. At the cluster distance, this bar corresponds to ~6 pc.
Tag: 
SAM

SAM User Guides and Documentation

As explained in the Observing with SAM page [8], the observer is in charge of operating the SAM Imager (SAMI), which entails selection of the binning, selecting and changing filters, setting the exposure time, applying dithers if needed,  and setting up the object name. The observer is also reponsible for taking the bias and flat-field calibrations before the observations. Sky flats are strongly preferred over dome flats, because the latter do not correct well the shadows of the dust particles.

The Adaptive Optics system and Laser are operated by the SAM Support Astronomer, but we provide here the respective manual so the user can refer to it to gain a better understanding of how the system works, and to get familiar with the AO module GUI. The safety document for normal operations is also appended; users who will be present at the telescope should read this.

We expect the user to at least read the SAMI Instrument manual to learn how to use the imager interface.
 

  • SAMI Instrument Manual (Mar 13, 2013) [361K, PDF] [17]

 

 

Preparing to Observe with SAM

 
Advantages offered by SAM. It  can reach exceptionally good resolution of 0.3" or 0.4" (if the atmospheric conditions allow it) at visible and near-infrared wavelengths in a 3-arcminute field, as though the 4-m SOAR telescope was lifted halfway into space (see SAM performance) [49]. SAM is ideally suited for imaging deep-space faint targets (or narrow-band imaging) where the 4-m aperture matters. It has complete sky coverage. Compared to SOI, SAM has no gaps between CCDs and does not need mosaicing to get the continuous image. Its guiders are more sensitive than the standard SOAR guiders. SAM can be also used in open loop, without laser.

Limitations of SAM. UV light is not transmitted to the science imager, so SAM is "blind" in the U band. The correction in the B band is not so good, while the sky background in B is contaminated by the faint UV leakage of the B-filter. The SAM imager has a distortion that might affect image recombination if large dithers are used. Targets for laser operation must be defined in advance, reducing the flexibility. SAM can deliver poor resolution under unfavorable conditions.
 

Planning your observations
The list of targets for SAM (name and J2000 coordinates) must be sent to soarnight@ctio.noao.edu [50] no later than 2 weeks before the scheduled night, so we can submit the laser propagation target file to the Space Command Laser Clearing House. Last-minute additions are not possible (better include extra "maybe" targets in the list, just in case). However, SAM can observe in open loop (without laser, at seeing-limited resolution) any target, e.g. photometric standards. It is a good idea to get in touch with the SAM support scientists Andrei Tokovinin (atokovinin@ctio.noao.edu [1]) and Cesar Briceno (cbriceno@ctio.noao.edu [41])  for planning your observations with SAM.

The instrument setup form [51] must be filled to define the filters, one week before the run. SAM+SAMI have a filter wheel with 7 slots for the 3-inch square filters (normally loaded with Bessell B,V.R,I filters) and can also use the SOI filter wheel that has 5 positions for 4-inch square filters (e.g. Sloan g',r', i', z' or narrow-band). Any filters used at SOI can be also used with SAM. However, SAM has only one filter wheel, filters can be changed only during the day.

Think about the strategy. Do you need dithers? There are pros, cons, and restrictions (contact the support scientists to learn more). What is the worst acceptable image quality needed to reach your science goals?  Do you need photometric standards? They can be observed rapidly in open loop. What binning to use in SAMI (usually 2x2, pixel 0.091 arcsec)? Think about a backup program (using SAM or other SOAR instrument) for the case of poor seeing or technical problems. Fill the instrument setup forms for your backup program, too.
 

Observations
Like other SOAR instruments, SAM+SAMI can be used classically or remotely.  During observations, the Adaptive Optics (AO) system is operated by the Support Scientist, while the observer is in charge of operating the imager SAMI (selection of the binning, filters, exposure time, dithering,  and object name). The observer is also reponsible for taking the bias and flat-field calibrations before the observations. Sky flats are strongly preferred over dome flats, because the latter do not correct well the shadows of the dust particles. See   SAMI User Manual [17]  and   SAMI Software manual [52]
 
Data reduction
Standard reduction of SAMI data (bias subtraction, division by the flat field, and combination of the multi-extension FITS file into a single image) can be done at CTIO using the pyraf pipeline developed by L.Fraga, provided that bias and flat-field calibrations are taken. In this page [48] you will find a step-by-step guide on how use the SAM PyRAF software to reduce your SAM data.
 

Think -► propose -► prepare -► observe -► reduce the data -► publish!

 

Reducing your SAM images

SAMI Data Reduction

(Updated: May 25, 2020, by C. Briceño)

There are several ways in which you can reduce the SAM Imager (SAMI) data. You can use the various tools in the MSCRED package in IRAF, or you can run the PyIRAF-based PySOAR pipeline described here, developed by Luciano Fraga (now at LNA, Brasil [53]). Additional information on running PySOAR can be found in Luciano's  SAMI Data Reduction Cookbook [54].
At this moment PySOAR is running only on the soarpd1 computer. In order to use it, you must follow the steps outlined below: login into soarpd1, transfer the data to soarpd1, and run the pipepline.

1) Log in to access your data and get setup for running the image reduction.
There are two ways of doing this: via a VNC viewer or using ssh. In either case, unless you are within the CTIO network, that is either working from our La Serena headquarters or at Cerro Pachón, you will need to install a VPN client in your computer. Please contact your scientific support staff (Andrei Tokovinin or César Briceño for NOIRLab and Chile users; Luciano Fraga - lfraga at lna.br. - for Brazil users) for VPN passwords and usernames (indicated below as "USER").
 

1.1) Using SSH: 
  • Once you are running your VPN client, you can ssh into the soarpd1 machine: 
ssh -X observer@soarpd1.ctio.noao.edu [55]
  • It is important you use the -X option which enables X11 forwarding. Otherwise, the sami PyRAF script will not run, because it requires an available display (even though it does not open any graphics or GUI when run from the command line in ssh)
  • Go to the data directory: /home/observer/data/  and create a folder for your data. We use the sintaxis YYYY-MM-DD, were the day (DD) corresponds to the local evening of the particular observing night (e.g. 2015-02-14 for the data taken the night of Feb 14-15, 2015).
  • Now, from within the folder you just created, copy over the data from the SAMI computer soarhrc, where your data is still located type in the command line the following:  scp -pr USER@soarhrc.ctio.noao.edu [56]:/home2/images/20150215/\* , where the USER name and corresponding password will be provide by your Support Scientist (Andrei Tokovinin [57] or César Briceño [58], for NOIRLab and Chile programs, Luciano Fraga (flfraga at lna.br.) or Brazil programs).  We suggest you create a subfolder called RED, and copy there your data, so you can run your reduction there and still keep your original raw files.
     
1.2)  Using VNC:
If your are at La Serena or Cerro Pachon, just type the following command in a terminal or shell in your Linux or Mac computer:
  • vncviewer -Shared soarpd1.ctio.noao.edu:9 &
 
or:
 
vncviewer -Shared 139.229.13.231:9 &
 
The vnc password should be requested from one of the support scientists (Andrei Tokovinin [57] or César Briceño [58])
  • When you have successfully connected into soarpd1:9 you will see a desktop like this:
If you are outside the CTIO network, run your VPN client, and then follow the above instructions.

 

  • Transfering the data via the VNC connection.
During observing, the SAMI data is written to /home2/images/ on soarhrc. The folder should have been created by you when you set up your observing night, with a name corresponding to the local date of the observation: yyyy-mm-dd (e.g. 2015-01-20). To transfer the data from soarhrc to soarpd1 you must either click on the top-right icon: 


 

or type in a terminal windown the following command:   data_transfer.py   

You will be presented with this window:

Click on the right hand menu to select the right instrument: SAM. Then type in the appropriate source directory in the soarhrc computer (e.g. /home2/images/yyyy-mm-dd/) and the destination directory in soarpd1, e.g. /home/observer/data/yyyy-mm-dd)

 

2) Starting PyRAF (only necessary if using VNC): To start PyRAF (and the ds9 at the same time) click on the top-left icon.

You will be presented with the PyRAF terminal and a DS9 display window.

3) Running the pipeline script  samipipe.py
Either in your ssh window, or if using VNC, from a terminal window, go to the data directory (e.g. cd /home/observer/data/2012-03-01).
Important! The calibration frames (biases and flat-fields) and the science frames must be in the same directory. If you already have the master bias and master flats, just copy both to the same directory. Also, at this moment the pipeline does not handle dark frames, so do not include them in the directory in which you will run the pipeline command, otherwise you will get an error after the pipeline is done with the overscan and trimming parts of the reduction.
We suggest that you use the following naming convention when creating your data at the telescope (or rename your files after the fact): Call bias frames as bias2x2.001.fits; sky flats as sflat_V.001.fits, and science frames as soar20150214.001.fits (etc). This will make it easier to run the pipeline.

Run the pipeline with the command line:

samipipe.py

As shown here:

When prompted for the images names, just type *.fits.  The data processing will run.  your images will be corrected for overscan, bias-subtracted, and flatfielded.
When the script is finished you are going to end up with various files with the following nomenclature:
    
NSFLAT2x2g.fits         
NSFLAT2x2i.fits         
NSFLAT2x2r.fits        
NSFLAT2x2z.fits                            
ZERO2x2.fits

which are the amplifier-merged, combined flat fields for each filter (in this case the data were obtained in 2x2 binning, the default for SAM), and the combined bias frame. You will also have a series of text files which list your raw fits frames per type:

0SAMIList_Zero2x2
2SAMIList_SFlat2x2g
2SAMIList_SFlat2x2r
2SAMIList_SFlat2x2i
2SAMIList_SFlat2x2z
4SAMIList_OBJ2x2g
4SAMIList_OBJ2x2r
4SAMIList_OBJ2x2i
4SAMIList_OBJ2x2z

You will also see that a folder "Raw" was created, which contains your raw, unprocessed images.

If your science frames were named soar20141022.*  (the naming convention we have recommended above), you will end up with files mzfsoar20141022.*
Thus, for a raw science frame named image.001.fits, the reduced frame will be like mzfimage.001.fits. The prefix z means zero subtract, f means flat-field divided and m means that the file has been converted from multi-extend fits to single fits.

4) Run the quick astrometry
Now you can run a Python script created to determine the offset and angle of SAMI images by referencing to a star catalog. This tool is intended to provide first order "astrometry", good to ~0.3". The script is called samiqastrometry.py, and is run on the reduced mzfsoar20141022.* files with the following parameters:

samiqastrometry.py mzfsoar20141022.026.fits -px 0.091 -c tmc 

In case your images were obtained in 2x2 binning mode.

If you want to know about the samiqastrometry.py options, type: samiqastrometry.py -help

For a list of examples on running samiqastrometry, type:
samiqastrometry.py -example

And if you want to find out about catalog options, type:
samiqastrometry.py -catalog

For more information and details on samiqastrometry.py and SAMI data reduction, see the SAMI Manual [59].

SAM-FP

Updated 23 Jul 2020, C. Briceno

SAM-FP is considered to be a Restricted User Instrument.  The SAM-FP is not available for the 2020B semester.

Users interested in using the SAM F-P module should get in touch with the instrument's P.I., Dra. Cláudia Mendes de Oliveira (see contact info below).  Because of its very specialized nature, SAM-FP runs have been handled by the instrument team, who carry out the observations and reduce the data. The data-cubes provided to users are already corrected for bias and flat. The phase-correction is also applied by the team. Wavelength calibration and astrometric calibration are done together with the astronomer.

Past use

SOAR scheduled four nights of Early Science observations with SAM-FP from Feb 16th to Feb 19nd, 2018. As reference, the 2016 call for proposals is linked here [60], describing the technical capabilities. The publication regarding the SAM F-P is Oliveira et al 2017 [61].

Targets submitted to the SAM F-P team should follow SOAR's standard format [62] or the  following format (no other format will be accepted):

# OBJECT    RAJ2000   DECJ2000
AB01_XXXXX   HH:MM:SS  +DD:MM:SS
AB02_XXXXX   HH:MM:SS  +DD:MM:SS
   ...         ...      ...
AB0N_XXXXX   HH:MM:SS  +DD:MM:SS
were
# A : First letter of user's last name
# B : First letter of userś first name
# N : Objetc priority number

  • Users need to make sure their targets lists are sorted by priority.

Data Policy

This instrument has been developed with the team’s resources and the Fabry-Perot mode is a restricted-use instrument on SOAR. As a recognition of the effort made by the team to make this instrument available to the community and to make the data ready for the user to do science with it, it is requested that the three team members be co-authors of any published work that may result from the observations . 

Contact 

The contact e-mail are:

  • Claudia Mendes de Oliveira - claudia.oliveira at iag.usp.br
  • Bruno C. Quint - bquint at gemini.edu
  • Philippe Amram - philippe.amram at lam.fr

More in numbers

Fabry-Perot in numbers

Updated 23 Jul 2020, C. Briceno

This page contains information about the two Fabry-Perot units used in the SAM-FP mode. (Note that the Fabry-Perot module in SAM is not available for the 2020B semester).

Low-Resolution Fabry-Perot (LRFP)

Table 1 - LRFP in numbers
Normal gap size 44 μm
Nominal order for Ha 134
Nominal Free-Spectral-Range - 48.95 Å 2236 km.s-1
Free-Spectral-Range 345.99 ± 0.14 bcv - -
Sampling 0.1415 Å.bcv-1
Finesse 41.72
Number of channels 84
Full-width at half-maximum 8.29 ± 0.1 bcv 1.17 ± 0.01 Å 53.4 ± 0.45 km.s-1

High-Resolution Fabry-Perot (HRFP)

Table 2 - HRFP in numbers
Normal gap size 200 μm
Nominal order for Ha 609.48
Nominal Free-Spectral-Range - 10.77 Å 491.96 km.s-1
Free-Spectral-Range 350.24 bcv - -
Sampling 0.0308 Å.bcv-1
Finesse 16.45
Number of channels 36
Full-width at half-maximum 21.29 ± 1.28 bcv 0.655 ± 0.039 Å 29.81 ± 1.80 km.s-1

Filters for SAM-FP

Here is the list of filters available to use with one of the two Fabry-Perots. The filters have to be specified in the Instrument Setup Form ideally one week before the observing run since they may be in use in another instrument or even telescope.

 

BTFI 5021/17 3” x 3” 5020.9 16.5 Å
BTFI 6569 / 20 3” x 3” 6569.2 Å 18.6 Å
BTFI 6579 / 20 3” x 3” 6578.8 Å 19.9 Å
BTFI 6600 / 20 3” x 3” 6600.5 Å 19.3 Å
BTFI 6745 / 38 3” x 3” 6745 Å 38.5 Å
SAMI Hα Broad 3” x 3” 6563 Å 75 Å
SAMI [SII] Broad 3” x 3” 6724 Å 75 Å
SAMI [SII] Narrow 3” x 3” 6738 Å 27 Å
SAMI [NI] Medium 3” x 3” 5189 Å 55 Å
SAMI [NII] Narrow 3” x 3” 6583 Å 18 Å

We have also filters from LAM (Laboratoire d'Astrophisique du Marseille, France) and we may add information about these filters very soon.

The astronomer can also request any other filter listed in the Filters Available at SOAR [64] page. CTIO filters are also available. The main constrain is that the filters may be 3 x 3 inches squared or round with 3 inches diameter.

SAM Documents for Support Staff

These pages contain technical documentation aimed at the SOAR staff carrying out support or technical work related with SAM.
Documents and guides for the SAM user can be found at this link [6]. Technical work on SAM is logged in the SAM Instrument Reports. [65]Please, report the work by e-mail to sam@ctio.noao.edu [66].

Documents and links for the SAM Support Scientist:

Uploading PAM files to the SOAR Laser Clearing House Software

1) Download the PAM file from www.space-track.org.   [68]

  •     Login with the appropriate credentials
  •     Click on "Files" in the upper dark grey bar. Then on the "Download" tab, then on the zLCH folder, then on SAM_SOAR, and then on PAM. You will end up with something like the screenshot shown below in Fig.1. Download the appropriate PAM file(s).

 

 

2) Copy the PAM file(s) to a file with the following sintaxis:   PAM_YYYYMDD.txt.   If you have more than one PAM file, add "-N" to the name, where N is an integer. For example, if your downloaded PAM file is  PAM_SOAR_SAM_1_T-1_15SEP2016_For_JDAY260_RADEC1.txt  you will copy it to PAM_20160916-1.txt, since JDay 260 = Sep 16, 2016.  The "-1" means that for that night we had more than one PAM file, i.e., there was a PAM-20160916-2.txt file.

 

3) Upload the PAM_2016MMDD-N.txt file(s) to the /home/PAM/ directory in the soaraom computer, using the appropriate user and password:

scp PAM20160916-1.txt  USER@soaraom.ctio.noao.edu:/home/PAM/

 

4) Load the PAM files into the LabView SLCH software in soaraom (Fig.2)

Figure 2.SLCH software main window. Files are uploaded by click on the small folder icons.

Technical Manuals

General [69]

  • SAM user guide, V.1 (Aug. 12, 2013) [542K, PDF] [19]
  • SAM commisisoning report V.2 (Dec 3, 2013) [1.5M, PDF] [39]
  • Report on SAM science verification program (Mar 25, 2014) [1.5M, PDF] [69]
  • Short memo for SAM operator (May 2014) [70K, PDF] [70]

Software

Technical

  • SAMI Instrument Manual (March 13, 2013) [361K, PDF] [17]
  • SAM LLT quick guide (February 2012) [72K, PDF] [85]
  • SAM mechanical installation procedure (February 2011) [3.2M, PDF] [86], see also  DocDB #773 [87]
  • SAM shutter installation and removal procedure (Sep 26, 2013) [3.6M, PDF] [88]
  • PAM files for SAM LGS observing runs (June 2011) [147K, PDF] [89]
  • HR camera software User Manual (August 2008)[0.7MB, PDF] [90]
  • SAM Alignment Manual (January 2009) [2.8M, PDF] [91]
  • SAM maintenance manual (August 2016) [2.7M, PDF] [92], also DocDB-989 [67]
  • SAM maintenance Calendar on DocDB-989 [67]

Technical Publications and Documents

Publications

  • GLAO in the visible, the SAM experience, by A. Tokovinin. In: Adaptive Optics for ELT3, Florence, May 2013 (sciencesconf.org:ao4elt3:12940) [ PDF, 240K [93]]
  • Performance of the SOAR adaptive module with UV Rayleigh guide star, by A.Tokovinin, R.Tighe, P.Schurter, R.Cantarutti, N.van der Bliek, M.Martinez, E.Mondaca, S.Heathcote. 2012, Proc. SPIE, 8447, paper 166 [ PDF, 904K [94]]
  • SAM sees the light, by A.Tokovinin, R.Tighe, P.Schurter, R.Cantarutti, N.van der Bliek, M.Martinez, E.Mondaca, A.Montane, W. Naudy Cortes. 2010, Proc. SPIE, 7736, paper 7736-132 [ PDF, 874K [95]]
  • SAM - a facility GLAO instrument, by A.Tokovinin, R.Tighe, P.Schurter, R.Cantarutti, N.van der Bliek, M.Martinez, E.Mondaca, A.Montane. Proc. SPIE, 2008, V. 7015, paper #157 [ PDF, 2M [96]]
  • Performance and error budget of a GLAO system, by A.Tokovinin. Proc. SPIE, 2008, V. 7015, paper #77[ PDF, 216KB [97]]
  • SPIE Paper: A. Tokovinin, S. Thomas, B. Gregory, N.van der Bliek, P. Schurter, R. Cantarutti, "Design of ground-layer turbulence compensation with a Raleigh beacon". Proc. SPIE, 2004, 5490, 870-878 [540K, PDF [98]]
  • SPIE Paper: A. Tokovinin, S. Thomas, G. Vdovin, "Using 50-mm electrostatic membrane deformable mirror in astronomical adaptive optics" Proc. SPIE, 2004, 5490, 580-585 [328K, PDF [99]]
  • SPIE Paper: S. Thomas, "A Simple Turbulence Simulator for Adaptive Optics" Proc. SPIE, 2004, 5490, 766-773 [675.4KB, PDF [100]]
  • SPIE Paper: S. Thomas, "Optimized Centroid Computing in a Shack-Hartmann Sensor" Proc. SPIE, 2004, 5490, 1238-1246 [325.8KB, PDF [101]]
  • S. Thomas, "SAM - the SOAR Adaptive Module". Paper at "DEUXIEMES JOURNEES D'IMAGERIE A TRES HAUTE DYNAMIQUE ET DETECTION
    D'EXOPLANETES" (Nice, 6-10th October, 2003 - to be published by EAS) [340K, PDF [102]]
  • The PAPER [103] and the presentation (.ppt) [104] at the SPIE Waikoloa Conference in August 2002 (SPIE Proc., 2003, V. 439, pp. 673-680).

Documents

  • SOAR Telescope Control System [PDF [105]]. November 9, 2005
  • Update of LGS design (R.Tighe) [PPT, 353Kb [106]]. May 22, 2007
  • Location of SAM laser at SOAR (R.Tighe) [PPT, 488Kb [107]]. December 20, 2006
  • SOAR Computer System Diagrams [PDF [108]]. November 9, 2005
  • Interface of the SOAR M3 with a Tip-Tilt Error Sensor [PDF [109]]. November 9, 2005
  • SOAR TCS Commands [PDF [110]]. November 9, 2005
  • Tertiary Mirror Assembly Electrical Interface [PDF [111]]. November 9, 2005
  • The SOAR Communication Library New (SCLN) [PDF [112]]. November 9, 2005
  • Report on the closed loop tests [HTML [113]]. March 2, 2005
  • Presentation for the Observatories Council meeting given on June 3, 2004 [ 1048K, PPT [114]]
  • Report on Delta-CoDR (May 19, 2004) (PDF [115])
  • Adaptive Optics Tutorial [116] at CTIO [html].
  • ACTR meeting, CTIO, May 26, 2003 [html] [117]
  • Concepts of Adaptive Optics for SOAR. [Document: 342K, PS] [118]
  • Presentation of SOAR AO (July 12, 2001) [Slides: 360K, PS] [119]
  • Simulation results [120] (text files)
  • Results of system simulation with F.Rigaut's code (Dec 10, 2001) [95K, PS] [121]
  • SOAR SAC, Oct-10-2001: html presentaion of AO project [122]
  • Project description (rev.1.7, Sept. 2001) [84K, gzipped PS] [123]
  • The html document (Sept. 2001): Concepts of Adaptive Optics for SOAR. [124]
  • Seeing at Cerro Pachon [52K, PS] [125]

Laser Safety

  • Laser Safety for Normal SAM operation (2015) PDF [126]
  • Laser Safety for SAM Maintenance (2015) PDF [127]
  • Standard Operating Procedures in the Laboratory (23 Oct, 2008) PDF [128] and .doc [129]
  • Scripts of phone calls to LCH PDF  [130]
  • Laser safety for SAM (SDN SAM-AD-02-0004, Aug 2007) PDF [131]

[132]

Internal (login required)

This is the SAM Internal page for SAM Project Members

Instrument Documentation

SAM Team

  • Project Manager: Nicole Van der Bliek
  • Project Scientist:  Andrei Tokovinin
  • Associate Project Scientist: Brooke Gregory
  • Research Associate: Sandrine Thomas

 

  • Optics Engineer: Roberto Tighe

 

  • Mechanical Engineer: Patricio Schurter
  • Draftsman:
  • Instrument maker:

 

  • Electronics Egineer: Eduardo Mondaca
  • Electronics Draftsman: Rodrigo Leiva
  • Electronics technician:
  • Software Engineer: Rolando Cantaruti
Source URL: http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/soar-adaptive-optics-module-sam

Links
[1] mailto:atokovinin@ctio.noao.edu
[2] mailto:spoints@ctio.noao.edu, cbriceno@ctio.noao.edu
[3] http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2016PASP..128l5003T
[4] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/soar-staff
[5] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/filters-sami
[6] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-user-guides-and-documentation
[7] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/preparing-observe-sam
[8] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/observing-sam
[9] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-numbers
[10] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-documents-support-staff
[11] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/uploading-pam-files-soar-laser-clearing-house-software
[12] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/technical-manuals
[13] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-computers
[14] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-electronics
[15] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/technical-publications-and-documents
[16] http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2013AJ....145..165F
[17] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sami-manual.pdf
[18] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sami-sw.pdf
[19] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/guide.pdf
[20] https://www.space-track.org/auth/login
[21] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/documents/Instruments/SAM/LCH_Scripts.pdf
[22] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/ICsoft-UserManual-3.7.0-291113.pdf
[23] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/aom-sw.pdf
[24] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SLCH-UserManual.pdf
[25] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/instrument-documentation-0
[26] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/filters-sam-fp
[27] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/Kron-Cousins_B.jpg
[28] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/Kron-Cousins_V.jpg
[29] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/Kron-Cousins_R.jpg
[30] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/Kron-Cousins_I.jpg
[31] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SDSS_g.jpg
[32] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SDSS_r.jpg
[33] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SDSS_i.jpg
[34] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SDSS_z.jpg
[35] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SAMI_filt_Ha_curve.png
[36] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SAMI_filt_NII_Narrow_curve.jpg
[37] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SAMI_filt_SII_curve.png
[38] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/SAMI_Filters/SAMI_filt_SII_narrow_curve.png
[39] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/samrep.pdf
[40] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/soar-adaptive-optics-module-sam
[41] mailto:cbriceno@ctio.noao.edu
[42] mailto:mmartinez@ctio.noao.edu
[43] mailto:rcantarutti@ctio.noao.edu
[44] mailto:oestay@ctio.noao.edu
[45] mailto:rtighe@ctio.noao.edu
[46] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/guide_0.pdf
[47] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/Normal_Operations_SAM_Laser_2015.pdf
[48] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/reducing-your-sam-images
[49] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/performance
[50] mailto:soarnight@ctio.noao.edu
[51] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/SOAR/Forms/INST/setup.php
[52] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/new/Telescopes/SOAR/Instruments/SAM/archive/sami-sw.pdf
[53] http://lnapadrao.lna.br/
[54] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/~fraga/pysoar/tasks/sami/doc/cookbook.html
[55] mailto:observer@soarpd1.ctio.noao.edu
[56] mailto:USER@soarhrc.ctio.noao.edu
[57] mailto:atokovinin_at_ctio.noao.edu
[58] mailto:cbriceno_at_ctio.noao.edu
[59] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/documents/Instruments/SAM/sami-manual.pdf
[60] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM-FP_call_rev.pdf
[61] https://watermark.silverchair.com/stx976.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAAa0wggGpBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggGaMIIBlgIBADCCAY8GCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMx6HNNHeu5E902DyFAgEQgIIBYAT1jzOwSq4VGjV0lpCcwhL3WGdJDN0g43EHnnNKIZGjH5UQDhv4zM5npXHzEmujnT6rBYLALC09A6Ds-4YJeZJ35lkLqU9SIey0lTTqVJASVyFITSZEozcr6bx-iqG3SgG2Jqea4vEUHxZ3uB2UbrhMORXSvSjFgkXOmjy-9iS-9hwlr2LXCOy4gr_ppWL7nAqASqpBJlar_ebThwz5pdBfQOf2q1PNeIxKw4EygwCtD6z9d1hMhQs1TZ4IMDj5n0nyNGtdcw6h1sVeIHHdGnaj3yWN2KrnKaI-vTvIs7xrjZ21xVEGdCgKCC36vGCwcyifyOzle5UwwWEmGHug8v2fflxiGm8JZJ09YTpTEApZ6gY8Oot8B26O9O3L9BrBYdcFj_iwcMXcAXQawd7Dx8ff9FUPxrYgWOZ5OfQ3CecNz3ylq6zFEqO9mTwSRnzOsz-oPdGvAn000VKTyNNOGDU
[62] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/creating-targets-lists-soar
[63] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/fabry-perot-numbers
[64] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/filters-available-soar
[65] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/noao/sam-instrument-reports
[66] mailto:sam@ctio.noao.edu
[67] https://www.ctio.noao.edu/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=989
[68] http://www.space-track.org.  
[69] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/svrep.pdf
[70] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SAM-memo.pdf
[71] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sami-sw.odt
[72] https://www.ctio.noao.edu/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=664
[73] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/ICsoft-ProgrammerManual-3.6.4.pdf
[74] https://www.ctio.noao.edu/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=630
[75] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/GS3-UserManual-2.5.2.pdf
[76] https://www.ctio.noao.edu/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=665
[77] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/RTsoft-UserManual-250113b.pdf
[78] https://www.ctio.noao.edu/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=581
[79] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/RTSOFT-ProgrammerManual-170513.pdf
[80] https://www.ctio.noao.edu/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=582
[81] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/lgs-sw.pdf
[82] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/hrcaminst.pdf
[83] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/otool-idl.pdf
[84] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/code.tar.gz
[85] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/LLTguide.pdf
[86] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SAM-AD-02-3215.pdf
[87] https://www.ctio.noao.edu/cgi-bin/DocDB/ShowDocument?docid=773
[88] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SAM_shutter_Installation_Procedure.pdf
[89] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SAMLGS-UploadingPAMfiles-v1.docx.pdf
[90] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/HRCsoft-UserManual-3.0.pdf
[91] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/Sam_Alignment_171106_v2_Integration171108_3.pdf
[92] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/documents/Instruments/SAM/SAM_maintenance_v2.1.pdf
[93] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sam_ao4elt3.pdf
[94] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sam_2012.pdf
[95] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sam_2010.pdf
[96] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sam_2008.pdf
[97] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/perf.pdf
[98] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/spie5490-78.pdf
[99] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/spie5490-196.pdf
[100] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/5490-162.pdf
[101] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/5490-123.pdf
[102] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SAM.pdf
[103] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/%7Eatokovin/papers/soarao.ps.gz
[104] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/soarao.ppt
[105] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/4009-05_SOAR_Controls_Paper.pdf
[106] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/LGS-v2_220507.ppt
[107] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/LGS_1.ppt
[108] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SOAR_Computer_System_Diagrams.pdf
[109] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SOARM3_ICD.pdf
[110] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/TCS_Commands.pdf
[111] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/TMA%20Electrical%20ICD4.pdf
[112] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SCLN_UserManual.pdf
[113] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/new/Telescopes/SOAR/Instruments/SAM/loop1/loop1.html
[114] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SAM_OC20040603.ppt
[115] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/new/Telescopes/SOAR/Instruments/SAM/cdrII/SOAR_AO_delta_CDR_Report.pdf
[116] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/%7Eatokovin/tutorial/index.html
[117] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/actr_may26/actr_may26.html
[118] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/concept7.ps
[119] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/seminar.ps
[120] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/simul/simul.html
[121] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/simul1.ps
[122] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/sac/sac1.html
[123] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/project7.ps.gz
[124] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/concept6/concept6.html
[125] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/concept4.ps
[126] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/Normal_Operations_SAM_Laser_2015.pdf
[127] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/SAM/archive/SAM-UV_Laser_Safety_Procedure_Maintenance_2015.pdf
[128] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/new/Telescopes/SOAR/Instruments/SAM/archive/laser_standard_op.procedures_SOP_lab.pdf
[129] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/new/Telescopes/SOAR/Instruments/SAM/archive/laser_standard_op.procedures_SOP_lab.doc
[130] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/new/Telescopes/SOAR/Instruments/SAM/archive/LCH_Scripts.pdf
[131] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/sites/default/files/documents/Instruments/SAM/safety.pdf
[132] http://www.ctio.noao.edu/new/Telescopes/SOAR/Instruments/SAM/archive/CTIO-SOAR_LASER_SAFETY_PROGRAM.doc
[133] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-software
[134] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/adaptive-optics-module
[135] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/laser-system
[136] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-high-resolution-camera
[137] http://www.ctio.noirlab.edu/soar/content/sam-imager-sami