Palomar LGSAO Engineering Summary 11/17/05 UT

Daytime results:
1. Q1 and Q3 ND filters increased to OD=4.0
2. Cleaned All-sky camera dome.
3. Verified LOWFS still runs.

Night log:
1725 Slewing to 6.3 star near overhead to check AO, seeing.
1730 TCS crashed; restarting TCS, rebooting TAO.
1735 Laser ready - power at 6.5W.
1740 ph0000: closed loop, ~50% strehl at Ks.
1742 ph0001: TT only, 30s.  FWHM=1.45" (possibly primary).
1745 ph0003: DM gain 0.001, 30s.  FWHM=1.05" (V seeing 1.4").
1755 Closing dome, moving to zenith for BTO transmission experiment.
1815 Na laser aligned to polar axis, closing BTO loop.
1830 BTO aligned, servo loop closed.
1835 Maximizing BTO transmission as a function of polarization, using Q2 to detect vertical polarization and Q3 for vertical.
1900 Max S polarization: 1/2 plate = 77deg, Q2=375cts, Q3=2500
	Max P polarization: 1/2 plate = 32deg, Q2=7cts, Q3=8500
1930 Measured BTO transmission vs. polarization.
	S polarization: 4.7 W at Q3 B-S / 5.6 Watts at bench output
	P polarization: 5.2 W at Q3 B-S / 5.6 Watts at bench output
	Max BTO transmission (shutter to Q3 B-S) = 93 +/- 5%
2000 Optimizing LLT alignment.
2045 Discovered darkening on LLT relay lens.  Possibly due to beam heating mount.
2135 Moving to Aldebaran for BTO collimation and boresighting.
	LLT foc: 5555, llt_a=45, llt_b=-50
2140 Performing rough boresighting on moon.
2200 Aldebaran: TT closed FWHM @ brg = 0.82" (V seeing = 1.1")
	Best focus: 6250, FWHM=28x24 pix (2.3"x1.9")
2215 Adjusting LLT secondary centration.
	N +1/4 turn: 33x21 pix
	N -1/4 turn: 34x25 pix
	E -1/4 turn: 32x21 pix   
	E +1/4 turn: 35x36 pix (refocusing)
	focus run inconclusive.  Focusing manually.  X values rescaled.
	E +1/2 turn: 31 x 25
	E +3/4 turn: 34.2,27.6
	E -1/4 turn: 28 x 22, 20x15 stopped down to 6" diam.
     E -1/2 turn: 30 x 24, 26x22 stopped down to 6" diam
     EN 0 turn: 26x24 (6")
	E -1/4 turn: 29 x 26
	Adjusting secondary tilt.
	U-R 1/16 turn: 26 x 22.
     U-R 3/16 turn: 20x21
	uncovering full pupil to test secondary centration tolerances
	Conclusions of the experiment:
		1. Primary sucks
		2. Begin to approach seeing limited at 6" pupil
		3. Design is insensitive to 2ndary centration & tilt.
		4. 2ndary pivot is 90mm behind highest point of secondary.
	14" mask: 34x29 pix at best focus 6430
	11" mask: 27x22 pix at best focus
	6" mask: 22x15 pix at best focus 6380
0010 Moving to zenith to reconfigure LLT and align to laser.
0020 Projecting laser in dome.  Rotated polarization ~2deg for counts on Q2.
0023 Notified 1SPCS of imminent propagation.
0035 While adjusting Q3 B-S angle, screw holding Q3 B-S fell out.
0052 Beam aligned on LLT primary, 12-15" in extent, somewhat elongated.
0101 Moved llt_a=-50, llt_b=+30 to center beam on LLT opt. axis.
0108 Projecting 6.25W in dome, installing 15" mask.
0112 Opening dome and preparing to propagate on sky.
0129 Propagating at zenith.
0140 Having trouble finding LGS.  Suspect Acqisition camera focus is off.
0140 All-sky cam correctly identifying all spotter IDs.  However, laser status incorrectly reads "blocked" (ditto with IRCAM).
0142 Laser logging now on.
0150 Searching for LGS using 30s images
		llt_1: llt_a=-5 llt_b=-20
		llt_2: llt_a=-35 llt_b=-20.  Difference image inconclusive.
	Subsystems: Acq. cam: 
0220 Laser shuttered by BTO error - M2 somehow walked away, despite BTO servo being open.
0230 Checking scattered light flux levels (counts, 2s integ.)  Appear to increase towared NE.
0235 Tilting LLT while measuring Raleigh background in Acq cam.
0310 Found LGS +7 arcmin S, +2 arcmin SW.
0315 Focusing.  Start: foc=5250, acq_z=11150, llt_a=5, llt_b=30
	Detunned image: llt_4_sky
	llt_5_focus_focus.dat: acq_z = 11450
     llt_6_focus.fits: llt = 5350
     best image (15" mask): llt_7.fits
best image: llt_7.fits; detunned:llt_8_sky.fits; fwhm=33x29pix; pk=46.
0340 Testing LLT masks:
	3 annuli (11"): llt_9_focus.dat; foc=5350
	best image: llt_10.fits; detunned: llt_11_sky.fits; fwhm=28x25.; pk=39.
	4 annuli (9"): llt_13_focus.dat; foc=5350
     best image: llt_14.fits; detunned: llt_12_sky.fits. fwhm=28x29; pk=35
	5 annuli (6"): llt_17_focus.dat; foc=5150
	best image: llt_18.fits; detunned: llt_15_sky.fits; fwhm=24x26; pk=12 
	Refocusing acquisition camera. Acq_z=11150. fwhm=24x24.
	LLT uncovered: 
best image: llt_21.fits; detunned: llt_20_sky.fits: 29x34; pk=56.
0415 Moving to Tycho-2 2472-0218-1 (V=10.16)
	sky: std_1_sky.fits; std_2_focus.dat; FWHM = 13pix = 1.911"
	PHARO seeing: 1.05x1.12" (1.5" in V)
0425 Testing BTO projection off zenith (30min W of zenith).
	Test failed - Q3 interlock triggered.  Needs further testing tomorrow.
0436 Projecting at zenith again.  Cannot see LGS.  Checking LLT primary tilt.
0444 One of the LLT primary actuators appears stuck.
0446 Excercising the LLT primary actuators.
0453 Shuttering laser for FAA compliance.
0456 Notified 1SPCS of end of laser operations.
0505 Starting LOWFS focus sensitivity test.  Took data.
0550 Shutting down telescope.