EUROPEAN SOUTHERN OBSERVATORY

1- INTRODUCTION

1.1- PURPOSE AND SCOPE

This document is the result of the discussion that took place on Thu. 2002 Feb 14 at la Silla and Vitacura, based on an earlier draft of this document. Were present at that meeting, in La Silla, Andres Gonzalez Ariel Sanchez Cristian Esparza Eduardo Celis Emilio Barrios Francisco Labrana Gaetano Andreoni George Hau Jose Cortes Karla Aubel Lisa Germany Malvina Billeres Martin Kurster Olivier Hainaut Rolando Vega Yvo Saviane, and in Vitacura, Gaspare Lo Curto Kate Brooks Leonardo Vanzi.

This document discusses the general structure of the Science Operation Department (SciOp) of La Silla, in the framework of the restructuration of the 2p2, 3p6 and NTT teams. This document will eventually become part of a larger document describing the Science Operation Department as a whole.

1.2- GENERAL COMMENTS

It will be clear to the reader that the TIOs are getting much more responsibilities than in the past. The reason for this is that the TIOs are the ones who actually run the observatory, not the astronomers. Indeed, TIOs tend to have a longer life time in the organization (time scale of 10yrs) than the astronomers (time scale of 2yrs), therefore, they can accumulate much more experience and have a very broad overview of the telescopes and instrumentation. This is acknowledged in this plan, whose global idea is to distribute the responsiblities to whom they naturally below: a question about the best strategy to observe the spectral variability of a quasar in the near IR is for an astronomer, but a question about the best way to select and acquire a guide star in a crowded field for spectroscopic chopping-and-nodding observations is for the TIO.

1.3- STYLISTIC CONVENTION

1.4- DOCUMENTS AND REFERENCES

2- CLIENTS, SERVICES and PROCESSES

2.1- SERVICES PROVIDED

SciOp provides astronomical data to its clients, as well as the information needed by the clients

• to obtain these data (e.g. instrument manuals), and
• to transform these astronomical data (i.e. measurements in adu as a function of the x,y position on a CCD) into astrophysical data (i.e. measurements in flux units (erg/s/m2/A/arcsec2) as a function of other physical quantities (wavelengths, RA, Dec,...)).

SciOp does not provide the scientific idea for which the data are needed, and does not interpret astrophysically the data, although the astronomers belonging to SciOp do it for their own projects, and are therefore experts whose experience is of great value when assisting the clients.

The data produced by SciOp (including those produced by Visiting Astronomers) must be of the best achievable technical quality (e.g. instrument always in focus), and must be calibrated -or, more specifically calibratable, i.e. they must be accompanied by a set of auxiliary data that allows the astronomer to fully remove the instrumental signature of the instrument (flat field, standard stars, etc.). These auxiliary data are defined in the calibration plan of each instrument.

2.2- CLIENTS

The "clients" of SciOp are the members of the international astronomical community at large, and prioritarilly them astronomers of the ESO member states.

More specifically, these includes:

• Visiting Astronomers (VAs, who will come to la Silla to perform their observations) and "Service Mode" Astronomers (SMAs), who don't come to la Silla, their observations being performed by SciOp staff, either in Service Mode (queue schedule) or as Delegated Observation Mode (on fixed dates).
• Potential astronomers: who may submit a project that would eventually get accepted, and who will then become VAs or SMAs.
• The Archive: the data produced by SciOp are archived in the ESO Science Archive (cf archive.eso.org) for use by the future astronomers. The role of the archive is double: 1/ it constitutes a 100% reliable backup of the data, 2/ it constitutes a mine of data that can potentially be re-used for other purposes than those of the original project. It is therefore important that the data
• Projects and Technical Astronomers: SciOp hosts some projects (new instruments, prototypes, experiments...) and Guest Instruments (SHARP, CIGALE...). While SciOp is not responsible for these instruments, it shall give them full support to ensure the success of the project.

2.3- PROCESSES

In an "ISO-9001" point of view, the processes that belong to SciOp are the following:

• a-Production of Scientific Data: the input is the scientific question, the output is the corresponding observations replying to this question. SciOp will deal with all aspects of this process, i.e. helping the astronomer to formulate his question, to prepare a good proposal that will get time (assuming of course that it is a "good" question), to prepare his observations so that they optimally reply to his question, help him performing the observations, or perform them ourselve (all flavors of Service Mode), and finally help him in the data reduction (*not* by reducing the data for him). Basically, all the technical aspect of his question are our job: with our help, he should find trivial to reply to his astronomical question.
• b-Operation of the instruments and telescopes: the input is the tons of hardware and software constituting the telescopes and instruments, the output is a scientific instrument, fully understood, certified and characterized. Obviously, this is an internal process (i.e we provide the input and use the output during the first process).

3- STRUCTURE

3.1 INTRODUCTION

The SciOp Department will be constituted of Astronomers, Telescope and Instrument Operators (TIOs) and Operation Engineers. The main differences with the current Team structure are the following:

• SciOp will operate the 3 telescopes, while each team was operating only one telescope. This gives us a large potential of flexibility that was not available with the individual teams. The way we use this potential should increase both the overall efficiency, AND the individual satisfaction (i.e. possibility to learn new things, to teach things, to optimize tasks that were redundant in each team, leaving more time for more interesting tasks, etc, etc)
• SciOp will not include Electronic Engineers nor Electronic Technicians, who will belong to the Engineering Dptm. However, at least for the first year, at least some of the current Team Electronics will keep very close contacts with SciOp, so that their expertise is not lost by dilution in the Engineering Dptm (this is being discussed with EngDpt).

The main difference between La Silla SciOp and Paranal SciOp is that, in La Silla, SciOp "owns" the telescopes and instruments, on which the support teams and departments will perform work for us. In Paranal, the Engineering Dptm owns the telescope and instruments, and lend them to SciOp for the night. The main advantage of the La Silla scheme is that SciOp owns the complete processes (c.f. previous section).

3.2- INSTRUMENT NUCLEUS

INSTRUMENT SCIENTIST

Each instrument (e.g. EMMI, WFI...) will have an INSTRUMENT SCIENTIST (astronomer) and an INSTRUMENT TIO. Together, the Instrument Scientist and Instrument TIO form the INSTRUMENT NUCLEUS that concentrate all the expertise on the instrument: if there is some info or knowledge on the instrument, the nucleus should have it.

The role of the instrument scientist will be very similar to that of the current instrument scientist, i.e. more specifically

• defining and implementing (possibly with the support of EngDpt, SWC...) observing modes
• defining and implementing the calibration plan,
• writing and maintaining the relevant documentation (user's manual, instrument web pages, etc).
• training the others SciOp members on the use of the instrument (e.g. coaching other astronomers in view of them giving support to the clients, etc)
• track the pending problems and action points related to the instrument (e.g. give a few phone calls to make sure that things keep moving).

INSTRUMENT TIO

He will be assisted by a TIO, who will be the expert of that instrument both for day and night operation. The role of the Instrument TIO can be summarized as following:

• assist the Instrument Scientist in testing observation modes,
• assist the Instrument Scientist to perform the calibration plan (e.g make sure that the frames needed are obtained, obtain more if needed).
• together with the Instrument Scientist, define the best way to operate the instrument at night
• coach other TIOs on how to operate the instrument in the best way,
• track the pending problems and action points related to the instrument (e.g. give a few phone calls to make sure that things keep moving).
• together with the operation engineers, define and improve the operation procedures and check list related to that instrument (all TIOs should always try to optimize operation procedures and check-list -while respecting the stric conf.Ctrl-, but naturally, as they know "their" instrument better than anybody else, they will be most productive for that instrument).

It is important to note that the Instrument TIO does not have to work only on that instrument. The "Instrument TIO" job is more a background task that he can perform during his "background turno" (former Mid-Day/Mid-Night, cf below), during the night (long exposures), during the day (phone calls), etc... While it is desirable that he keeps accumulating experience on the instrument (e.g. operating it at night, performing set-up at day, etc), it is also important that he spends some "background" time on the instrument, e.g. when performing some tests while it is in the lab. In summary, the actions related to the "Instrument TIO" job have a time-scale of weeks/months (following up problems, testing new modes) and not day-by-day.

Also, only one TIO is "Instrument TIO" for a given instrument, not 2, in order not to dilute responsibility. Of course, the Instrument TIO can appoint one or various delegates, for instance in his contra-turno, or to tackle with a specific issue, but he will remain the one "officially" in charge.

From the administrative point of view, the "Instrument TIO" title will appear in the Goals and Objective. The evaluation criteria will be (these are examples, not an exhaustive list): efficiency in following up problem reports (not in solving them, which is the task of the person/deptm to whom the problem is assigned), efficiency in performing the calibration plan, in coaching other TIOs, etc. For the first year, there will of course be some real-time adjustments to the G&O: the idea is definitely not to sack anybody on this new responsibility, but to get the best out of the system, and to get the system as good as posssible.

TELESCOPE SCIENTIST/TIO

In a similar way, each telescope (NTT, 3.6, 2.2) will have a Telescope Scientist and Telescope TIO, forming a Telescope Nucleus. The Telescope Nucleus has the same role for the telescope and related systems as the Instrument Nucleus for the instruments. For instance, the mirrors, domes, hydraulics, etc... are under the Telescope Scientist/TIO Nucleus' responsibility.

3.3- INSTRUMENT FORCE

The various Instrument Nuclei can be combined into "INSTRUMENT FORCES"; the various Instrument Forces that come into mind are:

• Imaging: WFI and SuSI
• Visible spectro imagers: EFOSC2 and EMMI
• IR: SofI and TIMMI2
• High-res spectro: CES/HARPS, FEROS, EMMI/Echelle
• Telescopes

These forces should exchange expertise at all levels: observation procedures, data reduction, hints and tips, etc. Also, the Instrument Scientist of one of the instrument will almost automatically be able to give basic support on the others. This should foster communication between the current teams. One nucleus can belong to several Forces. Other forces could be considered, eg 2p2 (=2p2 + WFI + FEROS), NTT (= NTT+EMMI+SUSI+SOFI), 3p6 (=3p6+ EFOSC+ TIMMI + CES/HARPS)

Note that it is not expected from the Instrument Forces to do all the support/operation of their respective instrument (it is not feasible, for instance SofI is used ~150n/yr, and TIMMI about 100n/yr, totalling 250n/yr, i.e. too much for 2 astronomers even if they were doing only support).

At this point, I suggeste that the 5 above-mentioned forces should meet briefly, but fairly formally (e.g. every 2 months), with the following aggenda:

• important news,
• new important problems (i.e. that could be of interest for the other nuclei)
• follow-up of previous important problems
• new hints and tip.

Each of these meeting should be summarize briefly in a "bi-monthly instrument force report", which will 1/ diffuse the info to SciOp as a whole, 2/ document and archive the problems, acheivement, hints and tips..., 3/ provide input for the bimonthly SciOp report that the head of SciOp has to produce for the upper management (i.e. help me!).

In the future, the rythm and scope of these meetings will be adjusted depending of the usefulness of the first ones.

4- OPERATION

4.1- NIGHT OPERATION

No major change with respect to the current system:

• A night TIO is in charge of the night operation. He has FULL RESPONSIBILITY on the telescopes, its instruments, and its user. This includes:
  • Decision to close the telescope because of weather conditions (i.e. no need to call the La Silla Coordinator)
  • Decision to re-open (i.e. no need to call the La Silla Coordinator)
  • Decision to call standby SciOp or Suppor Teams (i.e. Head of SciOp will automatically approve overtime or whatever other administrative stuff related -no question asked).
  • decision to shut-down the telscope because of un-recoverable problem, etc
  Of course, the night TIO can always call whoever he things can help in his decision, or whoever he things can help make his decision enforced (i.e. if the Visiting Astronomer wants to get explanation on the humidity rules by an astronomer, get the Support Astronomer, LaSilla Coordinator or head of SciOp to come to help).
• He is assisted by a Support Astronomer. The Support Astronomer will assist the TIO and the Visiting Astronomer for all astronomical aspects of the observations. The Support Astronomer is supposed to give an extended introduction to the Visitor (i.e. hold his hand at least till the first successfull science exposure is read out), and is supposed to be on "stand-by" (available in the control room, in his office, or anywhere else till ~2AM, then on call later for important questions/problems that should not wait till the next day).

4- DAY OPERATION

As maintenance will be mostly performed by "outsiders" (i.e. from Engineering Dpt and SWC), coordination will be of critical importance.

For each telescope, the Day TIO will be in charge of that coordination (and be TELESCOPE COORDINATOR). On a day-to-day basis, he will

• Coordinate with Eng.Dept and SWC the maintenance actions
• Coordinate with outsiders and insiders the various actions to be taken
• Accept (or not) the work performed on the telescope by other teams or internal teams
• Coordinate with the support astronomer/visiting astronomer the time of start-up
• Keep a log of the actions taken
• Finally, deliver the telescope in perfect condition to the night

• On Tuesdays, he will check the pending problems and action points, and call the responsible person (or have them called) for a status report
• On Wednesday, he will 1/ chair the weekly operation meeting during which the problems and action points are discussed 2/ issue the internal and external week reports.

One of the Telescope Coordinators (typically a "senior" one) will be SCIOP COORDINATOR, i.e. in addition to coordinate his telescope, he will also coordinate the actions that affect SciOp as a whole. He will be in charge of representing SciOp at the Action Point Meeting on Thu, and -if needed- invite additional SciOp members to be present at that meeting.