Procedures for Observing Gravity Wave Optical Transients with HET

For a day time LIGHETR alert:

• If the GW alert happens during the day the GW team will coordinate with Steven J or Justen who will contact the Ops and Night RA.

For a night time LIGHETR alert:

Preparation for observations:

• The LIGHETR team will send an automated alert phone call to the RA desk and 2 alert emails to related parties including the astronomer e-mail list.
• RA joins Zoom session at: ​https://us06web.zoom.us/j/87536495694
• One of the alert e-mails will include an attached phase ii TSL file.
• If the RA needs or would like support they may call Steven J (or Justen as a back up).
  • Steven Janowiecki (Cell – 419 721 8193)
  • Justen (Home – 432 426 3677 . Cell – See Phone List)
• Hopefully a member of the LIGHETR team will meet you on zoom. If nobody has joined the following people may be good contacts. The primary contact is TBD.
  • Majo Roselli – 512 576 3501
  • Craig Wheeler – 512 731 4314
  • Karl Gebhardt – 512 590 5206
• Contacts on Zoom will confirm they would like to start observations. If night RA is not in zoom session they can be contacted by calling 432 426 3689 (RA desk) or 432 426 3690 (TO desk)
• If they would like to observe, the TSL file in the alert email should be downloaded and loaded into the queue at this time using the load button on the queue tool webpage found here: ​http://192.168.66.95/noss/RA/interface/

Gravitational wave observations start:

• RA should run target_setup for the first available target.
• RA interrupts normal queue operations to start 1st available target paying careful attention to PI priority (PIPRI).

As data comes in:

• Data transfer will run under a new automated script which transfers the shots ASAP (TBD - waiting on requirements from LIGHETR team before making a script).
• RA's primary focus should be on observing, but can look at the target IFU using Remedy and ds9gw. Contacts on zoom will be looking at data as it comes in.

Followup observations:

• If a good candidate is found, a new phase ii TSL for LRS2 will be sent to RA via e-mail.
• The RA should download the attached TSL file from the e-mail and load it into the queue using the the Queue Tool.
• RA observes LRS2 target ASAP.
• The contacts on Zoom will determine if the remaining VIRUS targets should be deferred.

Once finished:

• Contacts on Zoom will send out a circular and the night RA will resume normal operations.

Useful related info:

• Below are a list of useful e-mail contacts in relation to this task:

  • wheel@astro.as.utexas.edu,
    janowiecki@utexas.edu,
    justen.pautzke@utexas.edu,
    gebhardt@astro.as.utexas.edu,
    majoburo@gmail.com,
    dave.j.sand@gmail.com,
    grzeimann@gmail.com
    richard.matzner@sbcglobal.net,
    dpooley@trinity.edu,
    aaron.zimmerman@austin.utexas.edu,
    o.korobkin@gmail.com