ALIS 4D
Status report and some thoughts on the possibilities for using
ALIS 4D as a testbed for establishing a common user interface
for EISCAT 3D and complementary instruments

Urban Brändström
1 Swedish Institute of Space Physics (KAGO, STAR)

2019-05-20

ALIS 4D
First light 2019-02-28 18:38:00.005608 11.006 s 6750 Å

ALIS 4D
First light 2019-02-28 18:42:00.005076 11.006 s 6562 ÅALIS 4D
First light 2019-02-28 19:14:00.005574 11.006 s 4278 Å

ALIS 4D
First light 2019-02-28 19:40:00.007413 11.006 s 6562 Å

AILS 4D
A Swedish contribution to complementary instruments for EISCAT 3D

I High-time resolution (> 25 FPS)
I Continuous operation (observatory modes)
I Status
I 2016: (summer) Funding application (granted in November)
I 2017: Procurement procedures, four imagers delivered, optics
orderedI 2018: Optics delivery (April) Main development work. Tests infall.
I 2019: Continuous operations from fall. Ground support for
SPIDER2 rocket.

I Funded by Kempestiftelserna, Faculty of Science andTechnology at UmU and IRF.
I PIs Urban Brändström (IRF), Asta Pellinen-Wannberg (UmU)

ALIS 4D sites

ALIS/ALIS 4DComparision

TimeMode

ALIS
4 CCD ≈ 60◦
1 EMCCD ≈ 30◦(1 EMCCD ≈ 15◦ )10242 ≈ 100m
2562 ≈ 500m
12 FPM
Campaign only

ALIS 4D phase II
4 EMCCD ≈ 136◦
1 EMCCD ≈ 30◦(1 EMCCD ≈ 15◦ )10242 ≈ 750m
5122 ≈ 1.5km> 25 FPS
monitoring/campaign

worst case

Sort of an Àttje

normalFoVRes

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Available filters

λ [Å]
3950
4227
4340.54278
4861.3
5100
5577
5893
6230
6300
6562
6562.8
6750
8000
8446

∆λ [Å]92280
2550254040200
40407025200
100040Line
Ca, FeCa, Fe, H2 O, . . .
Hγ , Balmer series
N+2 1Neg.
Hβ , Balmer seriesO(1 S)
Na, . . .
O(1 D)
HαHα , Balmer series
N2 1P
OH MeinelO(3p3 P)

Remarks
Meteors
Meteors
Meteors
Aurora/Airglow
Meteors
Background
Aurora/Airglow
Meteors
Background
Aurora/Airglow
SPIDER
Meteors
SPIDER/LEEWAVES
Airglow LEEWAVES
Aurora/Airglow (O(3p3 P))#1116
1461464
1444

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Preliminary absolute calibration

ALIS (CCD)
ALIS (CCD)
ALIS (CCD)
ALIS 4D (EMCCD)ALIS 4D (EMCCD)ALIS 4D (EMCCD)

Res.
10242
2562
2562
10242
10242
10242

Hz
0.04
0.2
0.2
2525
25

R/count
13.4
0.78
1.74
2.9
0.4
0.4

λc
5577Å
5577Å
4278Å
4278Å
5577Å
6300Å

Data production“Harddisks are either new or full” Gustavsson

Hz
0.1
0.1
0.1
111
25
25
25

resolution
2562
5122
10242
2562
5122
10242
2562
5122
10242

GiB/h
0.02
0.09
0.35
0.22
0.9
3.5
1144176

total GiB/h
0.09
0.4
14.1
0.88
3.51
14.06
44176
703

GiB/night16221456225352
14065625

ALIS 4D
Software summary 2019-05-21

Aniara Software suite for ALIS/ALIS 4D written in C (GPL)mima Imager site daemon
saba Positioning daemon
ud “universal daemon” uses dynamic
libraries (modules) for interfacing tovarious hardware (housekeeping unit,etc.)
fonoglob Text-based user interface andinterfacing daemon (web-interface,other things]
Not yet Real-time streaming quicklooks and keograms.
AIDA tools Gustavsson, Sergienko (Matlab, Scilab) Main analysis
software for ALIS/ALIS 4D, etc.

ALIS 4D
Status summary 2019-05-21

I Design goal: to be compatible with EISCAT 3D and similar
efforts (in particular optical) in Norway, Finland (and Russia?).
I Both long-time monitoring and campaign mode observations
I Mechanical modifications of four ALIS filter-wheels for
ALIS 4D nearly complete (May 2019).
I One prototype filter-wheel tested in lab. and dome.
I Initial absolute calibration of that system looks promising.
I ALIS 4D has usable software for operation, however somework remains.
I Much to explore regarding operating modes, observatory vs.
campaign modes, etc.
I More or less on schedule (knock on wood)

Complementary experiences
ALIS/EISCAT campaigns 1990-present

I Many instruments lacks (proper) user interfaces
I Many combinations of operating systems, platforms andsoftware.
I Realtime data access has improved over the years
I Observations missed as many experimenters assumed
continous operation (ALIS)I No common data license but many groups moving in that
direction.
I Many of us re-invent the wheel several times
I No joint scheduling of EISCAT and complementary
instruments, many PIs to contact
I Increasing Nordic collaboration on these matters

Disclaimer!
This is work in progress

I The work towards a common interface specification has notofficially started yet!
I Just my thoughts for now on the possibilities for using
ALIS 4D as a testbed for working towards a common interface
specification
I Everyone is welcome to join this effort!

EISCAT 3D-GO
H2020-INFRADEV-2018-2020

EISCAT 3D-GO
WP6 Objectives

The EISCAT 3D project will enhance international interests tocombine already existing instruments and deploy new
instrumentation in northern Scandinavia for polar atmosphere andgeospace studies.
The aims of this work package are:
I to facilitate the deployment, operation, and combined usageof these instruments together with EISCAT 3D,
I to enable user friendly access to interdisciplinary andmulti-instrument data for polar atmosphere and geospacestudies, andI to provide support in coordinating and gaining access toEISCAT 3D observation time and data processing.

EISCAT 3D-GO
WP6 Tasks

I Task 5.1: Roadmap of complementary instruments
I Task 5.2: Scheduling and interoperability of EISCAT 3D andcomplementary instruments
1. Participating complementary instruments needs to be includedin the EISCAT scheduling system, this would simplify both forthe users and instrument PIs.
2. By adopting a common interface specification for accessing
complementary instruments, it will be possible to include
monitoring and control of these instruments from the main
EISCAT 3D user interface. This is also a requirement forpossibilities of automatic triggering and fast rescheduling ofexperiments based on real-time data.
3. Agreement between participating instrument PIs of data usage
policies, and conditions for taking control of a selectedinstrument.

I Task 5.3: Intelligent scheduling based on space weather
monitoringTowards a common interface specification
Suggested design requirements

I Platform independent (Everyone must be able continue to use
their favourite operating systems and tools)
I Interoperability with other systems such as EISCAT 3D
I Possibility of combining several national infrastructures andinstruments into larger units. One such example:
BIFROST/ALIS 4D/MIRACLEALIS 4D
data levels

Level
Level 0Level 1
Level 2
Level 3
Level 4(Level 5)

Usage
N/A
Binary dumps (technical testsonly)
Unprocessed (raw) datastored as FITS-files
Processed data in physicalunits
Higly processed data in physical units (e.g. 3D volumeemission rate from tomography)
Final scientific results (e.g.
publications)

Archived
N/AyesMetadata
N/A
noyes

yes

yes?

yesyes?

yesyesyesSuggested levels of control

C0
C1
C2C3

C4

Level of control
Not controllable, data only
Basic control ability
Advanced configuration andcontrol abilities
Realtime analysis capabilites
capable of bidirectional command and control
As C3 but autonomous bidirectional decision-makingand control

For example
Magnetometer,ometer
Simple ASC
ALIS/ALIS 4D
Ionosondes
Not yetNot yetsimple ri-Modern

The Open Systems Interconnection modelSuggested layers of instrument control
Layer
76Description
Top level interfaces
Translation

5

Native user interface or API

4Communication

3
2
1

Instrument software
Internal firmware
HardwareFor example (ALIS 4D)
EISCAT 3D user interface
Between native interface(s) and other systems
via a common interface
specification (CIS)
web- and/or text-baseduser interfaces
fonoglob -d (“concentrator” daemon)(mima imager daemon)(Imager firmware)(Imager, filterwheel, etc.)

Summary
I Start simple, (Absolutely not a “Grandiose master control ofeverything”)
I Instead: Free independent instruments in collaboration!
I We need a platform independent standard! (World-wide Web,TCP/IP)
I Need compatible data-licenses (credits authorship issues, etc)
I Joint scheduling by PI agreement
I Authorisation by PI agreement and scheduled requirements.
(General, or per-experiment)
I Direction of control: EISCAT 3D controls ALIS 4D or viceversa (or both)I Text-based interfaces for experts, web-based for simpler usage.
(One does not exclude the other)I Please join!
I Work in progress!

References I