LGS Target Lists

1. A few weeks before an AO run, email the observer a notice about the LGS target list. Sample email is below:

   Dear Dr. Metchev,
   
   You are scheduled for LGS AO nights on Dec 21-23.  I need to have your
   LGS target list by Dec 14th so I can process it and send it to US
   Space Command.  Please refer to
   http://mtham.ucolick.org/techdocs/instruments/ShaneAO/prep/
   for details about the target list (which should include not only your
   science targets, but also PSF stars and 10th mag alignment stars near
   each science target) and other issues related to AO (both NGS and LGS)
   observing.
   
   Contact me if you have any questions about what should be included
   in the target list or other AO issues.
   
   Elinor
   

2. The observer should email a target list in the following format. (Note: Keck format target lists are also accepted, but that format is not discussed here). The TargetName should have no spaces and the RA and Dec may be space or colon separated. Any target that does not include the lgs=1 key will not be cleared. Note that only one of the guide star-science target pair needs to be cleared (typically in Keck style lists only the science target is cleared and the TT star(s) are not, Lick lists will often have everything cleared).

   TargetName  RA  Dec  Epoch lgs=1
   
   for example:
   
   PKS0736+01 07:36:42.51 01:44:00.24 1950 lgs=1
   M10 16 57 06.0 -04 06 00 2000 lgs=1
   

3. We take the observer provided target list and add the following header info. It is ok for most fields to be bogus, e.g. ?? for an unknown phone number or program, but the Date must be the PST date that the lasing will occur. The file can be named anything, but I use the following convention - LGStargetlist_YYYYMonDD.txt, e.g. LGStargetlist_2008Jan19.txt, where YYYYMonDD is the PST date of lasing. You should put the file on shanevnc in /u/user/observers/lgs/targetLists/ (you don't have to do this, but it keeps everything organized for everyone if you do).

   Observer's name:        Gates
   Observer's email:       egates@ucolick.org
   Observer's phone:       9-5910
   Program name:   Active Galaxies
   Date for which list applies:  19 January 2014
   
   Comments:
     
   Target list:
   
   

   There is now a program to help parse target lists and process them on shanevnc: /usr/local/lick/bin/targetListParse.tcl. This will prompt for the necessary information and allow you to Browse... for the file. You must also specify whether it is a Keck or Lick formatted list.

4. Space command requires files to be in PRM format. The PRM program is currently on shanevnc in /usr/local/lick/bin/.
   Syntax: PRM targetlist

   For example:
   PRM LGStargetlist_2014Jan19.txt

   PRM creates three (or more, if more than 400 targets) output files, that will be on shanevnc in /u/user/observers/lgs/PRM/. These files are

   1. PRM_Lick_589nm_15W_13kHz_DDMmmYYYYFORJDay_ddd_AZEL
      where DDMmmYYYY is the date the list was prepared, e.g. 01Dec2014, and
      ddd is the julian date of lasing.

   2. PRM_Lick_589nm_15W_13kHz_DDMmmYYYYFORJDay_ddd_RADEC
      where DDMmmYYYY is the datethe PRM file was prepared, e.g. 01Dec2014, and
      ddd is the julian date of lasing.
   3. YYYYmmmDDUT.txt where YYYYmmmDD is the UT date of lasing, e.g. 2014Dec01UT.txt.

5. Upload the PRM files to space-track.org
   
   1. Log in as mh-laser@ucolick.org
   2. Click on Files - Upload
   3. Choose the Lick/PRM/ directory
   4. Select PRM files to upload.

   If necessary due to problems, email the PRM files to space command at JSpOCSSAOps@vandenberg.af.mil. Copy mh-laser@ucolick.org as well on the emails. The target list should be emailed to space command at least four days in advance of the lasing date. (FYI, if you need to phone space command, the number is 805-605-6546)

   Sample Email message:
   

   Dear LCH,
   
   Attached are PRM files for Lick Observatory Laser activities for UT
   2014 July 20-23 (J-Days 202-205).
   
   Please email clearances to mh-laser@ucolick.org.
   
   If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me.
   
   Thank you,
   
   Elinor Gates
   408-238-9610
   egates@ucolick.org
   

6. On the day of lasing, space command will notify via the mh-laser@ucolick.org email that the PAM files are ready to download from space-track.org. Please save these files to shanevnc in /u/user/observers/lgs/PAM/. Note: Both Julian date and UT date are listed in the PAM file from space command in case you aren't sure what date the files are for. PAM files have the following naming convention:
   PAM_Lick_589nm_13kHz_T-001_29Jan2024_For_JDAY031_AZEL-1.txt
   where the date is the day Space Command processed the PRM file, and JDAYddd is the julian date for which the shutdown list applies.

   If you get back more than one PAM RADEC file, you will want to concatenate them into a single file using a command like the following:
   cat PAM-RADEC.txt PAM-RADEC2.txt > PAMJDay168.txt
   This creates a single file for the lsmParse program (see below) to process.

7. There are three processing programs to deal with the laser clearances and create the files for the Laser Shutdown Monitor (lsm). These programs are on shanevnc in /usr/local/lick/bin/.
   1. lsmParse takes each PAM file and creates the lsm files.
      Syntax: lsmParse PAMfile
      Example: lsmParse PAM_Lick_589nm_13kHz_T-001_29JAN2024_For_JDAY031_AZEL-1.txt
      Example: lsmParse PAM_Lick_589nm_13kHz_T-001_29JAN2024_For_JDAY031_RADEC-1.txt

   2. lsmCheck.tcl checks to make sure that every requested target was cleared (and lists targets cleared, but not requested).
      Syntax: lsmCheck lsmUTDate
      Example: lsmCheck 2024Jan31UT

   3. lsmNames.tcl takes the lsm files and renames them according to the target names provided by the observer in the LGStargetlist file.
      Syntax: lsmNames lsmUTDate
      Example: lsmNames 2024Jan31UT

   Note: lsm files are on shanevnc in /u/user/observers/lgs/lsm/ in a date named subdirectory.

8. At the time of lasing, start the Laser Shutdown Monitor (on shanevnc, /usr/local/lick/lgs/bin/LSM.tcl) and make sure the lsm file for the proper target is loaded.

   LSM.tcl looks at the type of target (AzEl or RADec) and its coordinates, and makes sure the telescope is pointed at the right spot and the tracking state is correct for the mode. If not, lasing will be disabled (via the POCLASER keyword).

9. If new PAM files are sent after you have processed the previous ones, you must go to /u/user/observers/lgs/lsm/ and into the appropriate date subdirectory and remove all the .lsm files before processing the new PAM laser shutdowns as above.

10. If there are additional blanket shutdowns from space command, refer to shanevnc:/u/user/observers/lgs/extraShutdowns/README for instructions.

Format of the target lists is the same for each laser, and it is anticipated that the cleared targets will be the same for any night both lasers plan to be used. Refer to the above section for details regarding format of the target lists, and this section will just focus on the differences, such as script names and file locations. Hence, steps for getting targets from observers and creating the LGStargetlist_YYYMmnDD.txt files is the same as Steps 1-3 above. In the unlikely case that the target lists differ, it is most expedient to combine lists into a single list and submit the combined list for both lasers. If this is not feasible, let Elinor Gates know, as she will need to modify software to handle different targets for each laser.

1. Space command requires files to be in PRM format. The PRM-Arete program makes sure that everything is in the proper format for the Arete laser. Programs is currently on shanevnc in /usr/local/lick/bin/.
   Syntax: PRM-Arete targetlist

   For example:
   PRM-Arete LGStargetlist_2025Mar16.txt

   PRM create three output files that will be on shanevnc in /u/user/observers/lgs/PRM/. These files are

   1. PRM_Lick_Arete_589nm_DDMmmYYYFORJDay_ddd_AZEL.txt
      where DDMmmYYY is the UT lasing date, e.g. 17Mar2025, and ddd is the julian date of lasing.

   2. PRM_Lick_Arete_589nm_DDMmmYYYFORJDay_ddd_RADEC.txt
      where DDMmmYYY is the UT lasing date, e.g. 17Mar2025, and ddd is the julian date of lasing.

   3. YYYMmmDDUT.txt where YYYYMmmDD is the UT date of lasing, e.g. 2025Mar17UT.txt.

2. Upload the Arete PRM files to space-track.org as in Step 5 above.

3. On the day (or up to a few days in advance), Space Command will provide PAM files on space-track.org, usually providing an email notice that the files are available. Please download and save these files to shanevnc in /u/user/observers/lgs/PAM/. Arete laser PAM files should have names in the following format:
   PAM_Lick_Arete_589nm_T-00n_DDMMMYYYY_For_JDAYddd_AZEL-1.txt
   PAM_Lick_Arete_589nm_T-00n_DDMMMYYYY_For_JDAYddd_RADEC-1.txt
   where n is the number of days in advance the PAM file was prepared, DDMMMYYYY is the UT date for which the file applies, and ddd is the julian date for which the shutdown list applies.

   If you get more than one PAM RADEC file, you'll want to concatenate them into a single file.

4. There are three processing programs to deal with the laser clearance and create the files for the Laser Shutdown Monitor (lsm). These prograsm are on shanevnc in /usr/local/lick/bin/. The output .lsm files are on shanevnc in /u/user/observers/lgs/lsm-Arete/ in a date named subdirectory.

   1. lsmParse-Arete takes each PAM file and reates the lsm file.
      Syntax: lsmParse-Arete PAMfile
      Example: lsmParse-Arete PAM_Lick_Arete_589nm_T-000_17MAR2025_For_JDAY077_AZEL-1.txt
      Example: lsmParse-Arete PAM_Lick_Arete_589nm_T-000_17MAR2025_For_JDAY077_RADEC-1.txt

   2. Once all PAM files for the Arete laser have been run through lsmParse-Arete, you'll want to check that every request target was cleared using lsmCheck-Arete. Targets that were not cleared will be listed.
      Syntax: lsmCheck-Arete lsmUTDate
      Example: lsmCheck-Arete 2025Mar17UT

   3. Once the check is complete, you can rename the .lsm files to the more commonly used object names, rather than RA-Dec coordinates in decimal degree names, using lsmNames-Arete.
      Syntax: lsmNames-Arete lsmUTDate
      Example: lsmNames-Arete 2025Mar17UT
5. At the time of lasing, start the Laser Shutdown Monitor (on shanevnc, /usr/local/lick/lgs/bin/LSM-Arete.tcl. There are radio buttons at the top of the GUI to select which laser you will be using, Lick_Dye or Arete_Fiber. This just sets the directory to look for lsm files and does not do any checking regarding which laser is actually propagating. Make sure the lsm file for the proper target and laser is loaded. Only one LSM-Arete.tcl should run at a time. LSM files are in the following directories:
   Lick Dye laser: /u/user/observers/lgs/lsm/YYYYMmmDDUT/
   Arete Fiber Laser: /u/user/observers/lgs/lsm-Arete/YYYYMmmDDUT/

   If you click on either Lick Dye or Fiber Laser buttons, the laser shutter will be closed and a message will pop up telling you to make sure the correct laser and lsm file is selected. The name of the selected lsm file, including path, is displayed below the laser selection radio buttons, so it should be ease to see if the lsm-Arete or lsm directory is selected and the target name.

   It is VERY important to have the correct .lsm file loaded for the laser in use. Failure to have the file for the proper laser loaded will require us to file a LOAP (Lasing Outside of Approved Parameters), which means that Lick Observatory laser operations will be terminated until Elinor Gates files all the appropriate paperwork, and Lick Observatory gets clearance to propagate again from the responsible General at Space Command. Past experience indicates LGS operations would be stopped for at least 5 days.

   Note: For the Zenith boresight (180.0_90.0.lsm), the telescope must be positioned at HA = 00:00:00 and Dec = 37:20:23 (1" south of zenith) to avoid the azimuth ambiguity at Zenith). Dome should be pointing straight south in this case.

6. If new PAM files are sent after you have processed the previous ones, you must go to /u/user/observers/lgs/lsm-Arete/ and into the appropriate date subdirectory and remove all the .lsm files before processing the new PAM lser shutdowns as above.

7. If there additional blanket shutdowns from Space Command, refer to shanevnc:/u/user/observers/lgs/extraShutdowns/README for instructions. Blanket shutdowns are the same for all lasers in use on Mount Hamilton.