Kiruna Atmospheric and Geophysical Observatory(KAGO)
Status of ALIS 4D
Urban Brändström, Daria Mikhaylova,, Tima Sergienko, andLars-Göran Vanhainen
Swedish Institute of Space Physics (KAGO, STAR)

2020-12-08

KAGO Instrument overview
Kiruna Atmospheric and Geophysical Observatory

I Magnetometers, 1950–: IRF [PI: Yamauchi]: Kiruna, Lycksele,Tormestorp;
SGU[Schwarz]: Abisko, Uppsala and operation of Lycksele
I Ionosondes, 1952– [PI: Leyser]: Kiruna, Lycksele, Uppsala.
I Allsky cameras, 1956– [PI: Brändström]: Kiruna, Abisko, Tjautjas
I Riometers, 1958– [PI: Sergienko]: Kiruna, Lycksele
I Infrasound, 1973– [PI: Kero]: (In observatory since 2015) (Kiruna,Jämtön, Lycksele, Sodankylä)
I Ozone radiometer (KIMRA), 2001– [PI: Raffalski]: (In observatorysince 2018) (Kiruna)
I ALIS 4D [PI: Brändström] (Observatory measurements from late2020) Abisko, Kiruna, Silkkimuotka, Tjautjas
I (Weather station, ALIS, guest instruments, etc.)

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

I Funded by Kempestiftelserna, Faculty of Science andTechnology at UmU and IRF.
I High-time resolution (> 25 FPS)
I Continuous operation (observatory modes)
I Timeline:
I 2016: (summer) Funding application (granted in November)
I 2017: Procurement procedures, four Andor imagers delivered,optics ordered
I 2018: Optics delivery (April) Main development work.
I 2019: first light, first campaign (October 2020)
I 2020: SPIDER2 campaign Continuous operations from end
2020.
I 2021: Regular operations begin

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

6750 Å

6562 Å

4278 Å6562 ÅALIS 4D sites
NorwayBFinlandASNKEOSwedenMTI

Legend:OperationalStandby
Deployed

ALIS 4DOverview

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 Much to explore regarding operating modes, observatory vs.
campaign modes, interoperability, etc.
I More or less on schedule (knock on wood)

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Comparision of some key specifications

FoVSpatialresolution
Temporal
ModeALIS6 CCD ≈ 60◦
1 EMCCD ≈ 30◦(1 EMCCD ≈ 15◦ )10242 ≈ 100m
2562 ≈ 500m
0.2 HzCampaign only

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

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Preliminary absolute calibration

Dynamic range.
ALIS (CCD)
ALIS 4D (EMCCD)ALIS (CCD)
ALIS (CCD)
ALIS 4D (EMCCD)ALIS 4D (EMCCD)

Res.
2562
10242
10242
2562
10242
10242

Hz0.2
25
0.04
0.2
2525

low
R/count
1.74
2.9
13.4
0.78
0.40.4highR/count
102.5
1.7

λc
4278Å
4278Å
5577Å
5577Å
5577Å
6300ÅALIS 4D
Some components inherited from ALISI Station huts:
I Camera mounts (refurbished)
I Filterwheels (refurbished) and filters
I Aniara (Software) (Major rewrite done)

Sort of an Àttje

NormalPessimal case

ALIS/ALIS 4D
Filters inherited from ALIS

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

∆λ [Å]92
280
2550254040200404070
25200
1000
40

LineCa, 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)

UsageMeteors
Meteors
Meteors
Aurora/Airglow
Meteors
Background
Aurora/Airglow
Meteors
Background
Aurora/Airglow
SPIDER
Meteors
SPIDER/LEEWAVES
Airglow LEEWAVES
Aurora/Airglow (O(3p3 P))

#1
1
16
146
1464
1444

ALIS 4D
Station block diagram
Camera platform

Beta axis

Fisheye lens f/4.0

Light sensor

Angularencoder

Shutter
Filterwheel 6 pos.
Telecentric optics

M

CCD lens f/0.95

Angularencoder

43USB/RS232

Shutter ctrl

2567PDU
Power Distribution Unit

Environment
Control
Unit

Internet via
microwave: Knutstorp / Abisko
mobile: Silkimoutka
fiber: Tjautjas

1CPS

0FWC

Fan

ECU

Station PC
EMCCD

HeaterKeoshutter ctrl

Imager PC

FWC
Filterwheel
ControlSensors

Ext. trig

DC 12V

AC/DC

CPS
CameraPositioning
SystemTerm. block

USB 3.0

Andor iXon
EMCCD

M

Alfa axis

HU+12V

RouterUPS

Housekeeping
Unit
Raspberry Pi

12V 75AhSwitch

230V ACCharge

StationPC

Ext. disc

1 PPS+12VGPS4PCI3USB

Imager
PCUSB321RS232

ALIS 4D
ESRANGE imager

ALIS 4DAll imagers

ALIS 4D
Software summary 2020-11-26

Aniara Software suite for ALIS/ALIS 4D written in C (GPL,Brändström and co-authors)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]
ql4d Quicklooks, movies and more (GPL, Peje Nilsson)
Not yet Keograms.
AIDA tools Gustavsson, Sergienko (Matlab, Scilab) main analysis
software for ALIS/ALIS 4D, etc. Python port!

Data production“Harddisks are either new or full” Gustavsson

Hz
0.1
0.1
0.1
11
1
25
2525

resolution
2562
5122
10242
2562
5122
10242
2562
5122
10242

GiB/h
0.02
0.09
0.35
0.22
0.9
3.5
1144
176

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

GiB/night
1
622
1456
225
352
1406
5625

EISCAT 3D science case
Infrastructures and geographical advantages

ALIS 4DDo EISCAT 3D need optics?

I High-speed narrow-band imaging of aurora, RIOE, meteor
trails, . . .
I Observatory modes (long-time monitoring)
I The string “optic” occurs 46 times in 122 pages
I Table 1 “EISCAT 3D radar performance requirements” p.
107–109: Optics required in 70 % (16 of 23) science topics .
Optical measurements are a requirement for EISCAT 3D!
new-moon periods are popular! (Gustavsson, present EISCAT)
There are many clear solid scientific objectives for opticalinstruments!

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 assumedcontinous 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 (NOMx)

Towards a common interface specification
Some thoughts regarding 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) data stored 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

C0C1C2C3C4Level of control
Not controllable, data only
Basic control ability
Advanced configuration andcontrol abilities
Realtime analysis capabilites capable of bidirectionalcommand and control
As C3 but autonomous bidirectional decision-making
and control

For example
Magnetometer, simple riometer
Simple ASC
ALIS/ALIS 4D Modern Ionosondes
Not yetNot yetSuggested layers of instrument control
Layer
76Description
Top level interfaces
Translation5Native user interface or API

4Communication

32
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.)

ALIS 4D
SPIDER2 launch

ALIS 4D
Ongoing scientfic studies

I Data-analysis/publications
I G. Giono, N. Ivchenko, T. Sergienko and U. Brändström:“Multi-point measurements of the plasma density andtemperature from the Langmuir probe onboard the SPIDER
sounding rocket Free Falling Units.” (SPIDER, ALIS, SNSA)I Sergienko, et al.: data-analysis (SNSA ongoing)
Quicklook-movie 2020-02-19 SPIDER2 launch at 23:14 UTC
I Sergienko, et al.: Orbit determination from ALIS 4D images(ongoing, SNSA/NRFP)I Future projects
I Several scientific campaigns 2020/2021
I BROR (Sergienko, SNSA Approved yesterday!)
I Orbit determinations (SNSA/NRFP, TBC)

ALIS 4D
PI: Urban Brändström

I Operational with four stations (Abisko, Kiruna, Silkkimuotkaand Tjautjas) since fall 2019.
I ESRANGE since spring 2020. SPIDER2I BROR: barium release rocket mission (if funded)
I Optical support for EISCAT 3D
I Andor DU-888 EMCCD-imagers (1024 × 1024, up to videorates)
I Narrow band interference filters with six position filter-wheel
I Absolute calibrated.
I Long-time monitoring starts soon (2020, hopefully MIRACLE
compatible) Delayed mainly because of cloudy skies.
I Raw-data (FITS), gif quicklooks and daily movie.
I Quicklook-movie 2020-09-23

New allsky camera (Sony α7S)
PI: Urban Brändström

I Normally 1 exp. / min.
but campaign modes
available
I Keograms, movie andthree resolutions (up to4K available)
I Quicklook-movie
2020-09-23

ISEE/NIPR

PI: Yasunobu Ogawa (watec), Keisuke Hosokawa (100 Hz)

Summary
I Operational but some more work remains. . .
I ALIS 4D long-time monitoring of selected emissions starts“RalSoonNow(tm).
I BROR mission (Funded by SNSA)I New allsky-camera in Kiruna, (open-source)

I The pandemic makes things go slower, but so far no major
problems as long as nobody gets covid-19
I A lot of work, we are under-staffed but situation more or lessunder control as long as all are healthy
I ALIS 4D example quicklook movie at
http://alis.irf.se/stdnames/2020/09/23/2020-09-23.mp4
I Corresponding movie from new allsky-camera:https://www.irf.se/alis/allsky/krn/2020/09/23/movie20200923.mp4

References I