AO Calibrations Check

1. Start all LGS software by typing lgsao_start_vnc in a k2aoserver xterm. The xterm should be positioned in the upper left virtual window of the control-0 desktop when the command is issued.
2. Start CalTools using the desktop menu: K2 AO tools -->Calibration Tools
3. Kill the AOACQ tool.
4. Run the Calibration Setup. From Keck II Calib gui select Calibration setup
   if prompted, select NGS-AO
5. Run the light source GUI:
   • Manually command SFP to nirc2 (or ospec) via the SC GUI.
   • From Calibration GUI select Light Source Control --> HEPA Off
6. Check that the AOACQ GUI is in simulator mode (top of the AOACQ should show "Aoacq - vX.Y CLS SIMULATION MODE"). Otherwise, start the AOACQ GUI in simulator mode:
   • Start and IDL session
   • In IDL, aoacq , /sim
7. in a kealoha xterm (or local xterm) run sounds kealoha so as not to annoy the summit staff with the sounds.
8. In the AOACQ GUI do the following:
   • set Rmag = 10.6.
   • set AO Mode = NGS-AO
   • set Ref = NIRC2 (for NIRC2, but use OSPEC OSIRIS).
   • set seeing = 0.0
   • run Setup Bench
9. Record a new WFS background:
   • From Calibration GUI select Light Source Control --> BLOCK
   • WFS Intensity GUI, Record bkgd only. Answer No to the pop-up window about the background for STRAP.
   • From Calibration GUI select Light Source Control --> 0.1% Trans
10. start and setup the instrument.
    If using NIRC2, run in a waikoko xterm:
    • user nirc2eng
    • ao_confirmation which will do the following
      • set a new engineering data directory with "newdir"
      • 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 1024
      • set tint 0
      • set coadd 40
      • set wait4ao off
      • then takes an image using goi.
    • This image is used to evaluate the data quality with the AO loops opened. Check the image quality using the NIRC2 Quicklook Tool, Plot --> Gaussian Fit. The XFWHM and YFWHM Should be around 45 mas.
    If using OSIRIS
    • set the following instrument parameters:
      • sscale 20mas
      • sfilt Kn3
      • itime 2
      • coadd 1
    • take an image: goi
    • check the image quality.
11. Using the AOACQ GUI: click acquire star to close the AO loops.
12. On the MAORI, AO Control, set the gains to 0.1.
13. Take image on the instrument (goi). This image is used to evaluate the data quality with the AO loops closed. For NIRC2 the PSF is typically round with FWHM of 45 mas. An elongated PSF or PSF with FWHM > 50 mas is considered poor.
14. If you need to check other pointings, repeat 7-11 for other pointings
15. Run the light source gui:
    From Keck II Calib gui select Light Source and select:
    • 1.0 trans
    • HEPA off
16. Using the AOACQ Gui:
    • set AO Mode = NGS-STRAP
    • set po = "instrument of choice"
    • run Setup Bench
      if prompted, select:
      • sodium dichroic
    • run Acquire star
17. On the MAORI, set the gains to 0.05 (TT) and 0.2 (DM).
18. Acquire an image on the instrument of choice and retest the image quality.
19. Put everything to safe mode:
    • In the Calibration Tool select Dismiss
      • If AO loops are still closed, select Open loops
      • Select Turn HEPA ON
      • Put the system in standby? If night observations are going to start in the next one or two hours, select YES, otherwise select NO
      • Turn the light OFF
    • In the case of LGS-AO calibrations, select on the background menu LGS-AO Control --> Stop most LGS-AO Software
    • In the case of NGS-AO calibrations, select on the background menu NGS-AO Control --> Stop most NGS-AO Software
    AO Ops Team
    Last modified: Sat Sep 1 16:37:03 HST