4. Observatory Operation System#
The Observatory Operations System (OPS) supports users during observatory operations, which includes science observations, data management, and engineering operations, among other activities. It not only provides users the high-level software tools for observing, it also provides tools to manage high-level workflows and logic to maximize science productivity as well as observing and operational efficiency. The primary overarching requirements that govern the design of the OPS are summarized in Table 4.1.
The OPS addresses the following use cases, categorized by user roles:
Scientists: document and data access, data processing, Phase I proposal design (exposure time calculation, data simulation, guide star finding), proposal preparation and submission
Observers: Phase II proposal submission, observing run planning, instrument configuration setup, target scheduling, target visualization, observing sequence design, run-time data quick-look; data acquisition, calibration, visualization, processing, quality verification and analysis; high level data (spectral extraction, mosaic, 3-D data cube) creation
AO Specialists: AO and laser maintenance, operations, control, and calibrations; safety monitoring, workflow and sequence design and execution
Instrument Scientist: operation, maintenance, and quality control of the science instruments, workflow and sequence design and execution
Telescope Operators: runtime target and queue scheduling, target visualization, instrument/telescope management and monitoring, sequence design and execution
Engineers: daytime maintenance, observatory logging, instrument diagnosis; data trend monitoring, analysis, calibration, data visualization; document management, nighttime troubleshooting assistance
Management: program management and long-term telescope scheduling; data archive management, software management
Maximizing operational efficiency is a key science and system level requirement – one that has many implications impacting every aspect of the OPS design. For a complex system like the GMT, maximizing efficiency requires not only providing basic tools or standardizing user interfaces, it also involves: orchestrating potentially complex workflows and activities to act in parallel or in sequence, automating workflows where possible, actively monitoring the system performance, providing adequate calibrations, and facilitating troubleshooting when problems occur. During the software domain engineering process several aspects have been considered:
Accurately capture observatory operations domain specific knowledge.
Standardize techniques that are used for carrying out observatory operations
Define user activities and workflows (e.g., scheduling, calibration, diagnosis, monitoring).
Identify capabilities (observing, monitoring, maintenance, and diagnosis) that need to be provided and for which subsystems.
Refine desired operational and monitoring capabilities into tools that need to be implemented.
Provide uniform processing, storage, and archival access, to all telemetry, engineering, environmental, science, management, and documentation data.
Identify common components in all subsystems so as to allow for code reuse.
Provide a concrete basis for estimating project effort and cost.
Facilitate collaboration between different users of the observatory in their various roles.
Title |
Statement |
|---|---|
Observing Efficiency |
The GMT facility shall be designed to optimize on-sky observing efficiency, and comply with GMT Efficiency Budget (GMT-SE-REF-00593). |
Classical, Queue, Interrupt, and Remote Observer Modes |
Provide classical on-site investigator directed, queue, interrupt, or remote observing, modes. |
Telescope Operators, Instrument Specialists, AO Specialists |
GMT will be designed to facilitate operations by telescope operators, instrument specialists, and AO specialists. |
Observing Support Tools |
Provide tools needed to prepare and carry out observing programs. These include proposal preparation, observing plan preparation, observing execution, tools, and user manuals and guides. |
Science Data Archive |
Ensure the integrity of the science data by providing an archive for storing and retrieving science data. |
Engineering Data Management System |
Provide hardware and software to collect, store, retrieve, analyze and display engineering data to monitor the performance and health of the GMT system and environmental conditions. |
Engineering Data Archive |
Provide an archive for storing engineering data. |
Observing and Operation Mode Support |
Provide software tools that support, manage, and execute, the operational and observing modes of the telescope. |
GMT System Health |
Provide continuous performance, status, and system health monitoring. |
Product Quality Assessment |
Provide software tools to assess the validity of observation data products. |
Integrated User Interface |
Provide an integrated and consistent interface that is intuitive for navigating and accessing the functionality of the system, and defines a common look and feel across the system. |
Environmental Monitoring Facility |
Provide an Environmental Facility for monitoring the seismic, particulate, weather, and atmospheric conditions. |
The sections to follow present the OPS. Operations Overview presents an overview of observatory operations by way of a typical operation workflow, followed by the overall OPS architecture itself. Operations Deployment gives a brief overview of how the OPS will be deployed, followed by Operations Subsystems. Subsequent sections discuss the components that make up the OPS. Operations User Interface presents current user interface concepts that are used to carry out operations. Observing Tools discusses observing tools used for proposal preparation and during observing. Scheduling of telescope targets and programs can happen concurrently during observations or over entire semesters or years, depending on the observing mode (classical vs. queue), and is discussed in the Scheduling System. Science observations or calibrations often may involve orchestrating instrument and telescope operations, which is the role of the Sequencer. User operation of the adaptive optics is fully integrated into the observing system. Even so, operating the AO system involves several additional safety considerations, including aircraft safety, laser traffic control safety, and spacecraft safety (see Laser AO Operations Safety). Next, the Quality Monitoring System supports proper system performance by facilitating engineering analysis of the telemetry and instrumental data during runtime or offline. Operational, engineering, and science data are stored on-site at the observatory and mirrored offsite by the Data Archiving System. Lastly, the Data Processing System is integral to both science observations and to ensure that the telescope, instruments, sensors, and detectors, are performing properly during runtime.