CCD Camera Realignment

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Northrop Grumman

Northrop Grumman is a global defense and technology company

Company does business around the world

Contracted by US Air force

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GEODSS

GEODSS has three sites around the globe

All GEODSS sites maintain and operate 3-1.0 meter telescopes

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Assigned TaskThe assigned project task was to develop and assess the GEODSS camera head assembly and determine the most feasible solution to correct an existing situation with the CCD camera. GEODSS personnel were assigned to educate me on the system and guide me with possible solutions for my assessment.

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What is CCD ?What is CCD ?

Charge-Coupled Device

Resolution 2560x1960 CCD uses a

rectangular piece of silicon

Pixels Charge converted into electrons

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How GEODSS CCD How GEODSS CCD Camera OperatesCamera Operates

Video output of the CCD arrays are sent

The signal then gets amplified

A/D converter then adjust the gain accordingly

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Project DescriptionProject Description

Degraded video segment Currently port #4 on one

of the three GEODSS sensor CCD ports is being blocked out

Our goal is to decrease the current video loss

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Plan of Action As a provisional fix the system software will be modified Software manipulation is the safest and easiest way to fix the current situation It was determined that pulling the camera could possibly cause camera failure In the event problems arise, easier to revert back to normal configuration

through software.

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Steps-to-Take Install a backup drive with preinstalled software Modify camera initialization Run simulated calibrations Capture FITS Image and view in imaging software Identify bad pixels and record values Enter new values in initialization file Run multiple camera calibrations Place system back into operations

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Viewing of FITS Image

Flexible Image Transport System

Measuring of pixels to acquire greater field-of-view

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Calibrations and Results

3 Calibrations will be performed (channel offset, dark current and flat field)

Channel offset mean values need to be within + or – 1

Dark Current noise value < 50 counts Flat Field between .5 to 2.5 counts Validation of Data

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Steps-to-Take Install a backup drive with preinstalled software Modify camera initialization Run simulated calibrations Capture FITS Image and view in imaging software Identify bad pixels and record values Enter new values in initialization file Run multiple camera calibrations Place system back into operations

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Expected Results

Increase in throughput

Improvement of search based operations

Improvement with serendipitous observations

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AcknowledgmentsAcknowledgments Center for Adaptive Optics

o Hillary O’Briano Scott Seagroveso Lisa Hunter

Northrop Grummano Albert Esquibel & Staff

Maui Community Collegeo Mark Hoffman

2007 Short Course/Internshipo David Harringtono Jess Johnsono Ryan Montgomeryo Isar Mostafanezhado Fellow Interns

Maui Economical Development Boardo Isla Yapo Leslie Wilkins

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Institute for Astronomy

Funding Provided through the

Center for Adaptive Optics,

National Science Foundation,

Science and Technology

Center (STC), AST-987683

Questions

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