CMA1 Temperature and Detector StabilityDuring the early phase of the mission, the CMA1 detector/HT supply combination commonly exhibited unstable behaviour (ref. EXPRESS No. 3 p.3 ) at elevated detector temperatures. Operational procedures were instituted to maintain a low average CMA1 temperature, namely a systematic switch off of the 28V power supply (A1 line, analogue electronics and HT convertors) for maneouvres, perigee passes and some non-LE prime observations, and a restriction of the maximum solar aspect angle to 130°.These procedures have reduced to practically zero the occurrence of instability and indeed long observations in the second half of 1984 have demonstrated that there is no immediately obvious degradation in performance if the temperature is maintained below 27°C. In order to see how these constraints affect the total allowed duration of an observation it is important to quantify the CMA1 detector temperature behaviour as a function of the angle and the total A1 line on-time. Data from observations carried out during the last three months has been analysed to give a set of curves describing the average time profile from the A1 line switch on of the CMA1 temperature at different angles. Figure 1 shows five of these curves, covering the typical range 90° 130°; curves for any other desired angle can be readily extrapolated from the data collected. Fig. 2 shows the derivatives of the temperature curves for = 90° and 130° and indicates that the likely stable temperature for long observations would be 27.5° and 29.5° respectively. Based on this analysis, the following guidelines will be followed for planning and executing all future observations: Maximum observation duration for 110°< 130°: 4.5 units (12.5hr) Maximum observation duration for 95°< 110° : 9 units (25 hrs) Basically unrestricted duration for 95°
Figure 1
Figure 2
Page authors: Lorella Angelini Jesse Allen HEASARC Home | Observatories | Archive | Calibration | Software | Tools | Students/Teachers/Public Last modified: Thursday, 26-Jun-2003 13:48:32 EDT The Astrophysics Science Division (ASD) at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) seeks a creative, innovative individual with strong teamwork and leadership skills to serve as Director of the High Energy Astrophysics Science Archive Research Center (HEASARC). This will be a permanent civil servant position. + Learn more. |