NGS-AO (required for both, NGS and LGS calibrations)

  1. On the k2aoserver-new:3 VNC desktop, select from the background menu NGS-AO Control → Start NGS calibrations
  2. Launch NIRC2 GUIs. On the k2aoserver-new:2 VNC desktop, select from the background menu:
  3. Optional: On the waikoko-new terminal, type newdir if you would like to save the NIRC2 images in a new data directory. If the directory for user nirc2eng and current UTC date already exists, no new directory will be created.
  4. Keck II Calib → Calibration setup. If prompted:
  5. Open the PCU Sequencer from the background menu and → Select nirc2 from the pulldown menu (top right) and press GO
  6. Keck II Calib → Light Source Control
  7. Check that the AOACQ GUI is in simulator mode (Aoacq - vX.Y CLS Archon SIMULATION MODE). Otherwise, start the AOACQ GUI in simulator mode from the VNC pulldown menu:
  8. In the Aoacq GUI:
  9. Setup NIRC2 and take an open-loop image.
    1. If this is not a continuation of the AO calibrations, then you will need to load the latest image-sharpened DM voltage map. Otherwise, the open-loop PSF will look like a speckle cloud. This should not affect the closed-loop image quality, though.
    2. In a waikoko-new terminal:
      • Type user nirc2eng
      • Type ao_confirmation, which will do the following: 
        set the object name to "ao_confirmation"
set filt brgamma
set camera narrow
set pupil open
set shutter open
set grism clear
set sampmode 2
set subc 512
set tint 0.5
set coadd 20
set wait4ao off
Take an image using goi
  10. Check the open-loop image quality
  11. Aoacq GUI → Acquire star
  12. MAORI → AO Control
  13. In a NIRC2 control terminal type (goi) to take an image with the AO loops closed.
  14. Check the closed-loop image quality

Additional checkout for LGS-AO

  1. Open the AO loops if they are closed: MAORI → AO Control → LOOP → OPEN
  2. Light Source Control → 1% = ND2
  3. Start the LBWFS Img Acq GUI, if it has not been started yet
  4. In the Aoacq GUI: NOTE: The mR magnitude is set to a fainter value that it actually is to ensure high enough signal on the WFS.
  5. MAORI → AO Control
  6. Take a closed-loop image with NIRC2. In a NIRC2 control window type ao_confirmation, which will do the following: 
    set the object name to "ao_confirmation"
set filt brgamma
set camera narrow
set pupil open
set shutter open
set grism clear
set sampmode 2
set subc 512
set tint 0.5
set coadd 20
set wait4ao off
Takes an image using goi
    IMPORTANT NOTE: The same ao_confirmation script should be used for NGS-AO and LGS-AO image quality checks after the K2AO light source was replaced with the fainter K1AO source in June 2025.
  7. Check the closed-loop image quality:
  8. On the the LBWFS Imag Acq GUI:
  9. Manual LBWFS focus control. Read the focus value (mm) of the black curve (left Y axis) on the Low-Bandwidth Manager GUI and subtract the value from the position of the FCS stage. This can be done using one of the following two methods: The black line on the Low-Bandwidth Manager GUI should be reporting near zero after the FCS move is sent. The focus is fine if the values are <0.15mm.
  10. Close COG control on the Low-Bandwidth Manager GUI after correcting the focus and make sure to let it run for at least 10 iterations. Verify that the fast WFS COG updates on the Low-Bandwidth Manager GUI. Evaluate performance:
  11. Once you are done:
  12. Open AO loops: MAORI → AO Control → LOOP → OPEN

Put everything in safe mode