SSSC/SITR: FORCAST

1. SSSC/SITR: FORCAST September 29, 2009 Cornell University Adams/Herter

2. FORCAST Description • Facility Instrument • Dual-Channel 256x256 Camera w/ Si BIB arrays • 5-25 m with Si:As array • 25-38 m with Si:Sb array • 0.75 arcsec/pixel giving a 3.23.2 arcmin FOV • Selectable Filters in 5-38 m range FORCAST Trimester Review

3. Cryostat window Fold mirrors Camera 1 Camera 2 SOFIA Focal plane 25 mm Collimator mirror FPA FORCAST Optical Raytrace Lyot stop (pupil) f/20 f/5.5 FORCAST Trimester Review

4. FORCAST/SOFIA Early Science Goals • Perform demonstrative science observations • Emphasize unique capabilities of SOFIA/FORCAST • Observations at 30 – 40 µm • High spatial resolution in the mid-IR (2″ - 4″) • Build collaborations between the science instrument team and external investigators • Bridge SOFIA observations with Spitzer observations • Follow-up of regions that are too bright for Spitzer • Follow-up of Spitzer objects with higher spatial resolution • Selected Early Short Science Objects • Winter/Spring: Orion • Summer: Galactic Center, M17 FORCAST Trimester Review

5. Early Science Filter Configuration FORCAST Trimester Review

6. J F M A M J J A S O N D J F M A M J J A S O N D Early Science Timeline 2008 2009 2010 • 10/16/08 Preship Review • 12/09 Ship to DAOF; Post-ship checkout • 1/10 Ground installation • 2/1/10 Lineops #1 • 3/4/10 First Light Flight • 7/6/10 Short Science Flights (also includes facility checkout) • 12/7/10 Start Basic Science Flights J F M A M J J A S O N D Ship to DAOF Basic science flights Preship Review Short science flights Ground integration First light flight FORCAST Trimester Review

7. Detailed Timeline & Personnel Loading FORCAST Trimester Review

8. Line Ops Plan FORCAST Trimester Review

9. Status Chart

10. FORCAST Calibration Box Design • KRS-5 Lens images a black hot source onto the FORCAST Lyot stop • Chopper blade provides a background source Illumination at the detector Layout in front of FORCAST FORCAST Preship Review

11. Calibration Box

12. Lakeshore Mesh Filter Image Quality Grid of 200 µm diam. Pinholes @ field stop (77 K) 24.4 µm 33.4 µm 38.0 µm • Results are consistent with diffraction-limited performance FORCAST Trimester Review

13. Dichroic Performance Barr 2 has better reflective performance FORCAST Trimester Review

14. Array Optimization • Sb-083, 30.6 µm + ND2, Low Cap • Detectors are optimized for best S/N vs.: • Detector bias • Well size • Frame time • Determine trade-off between signal vs. dark current, hot pixels FORCAST Trimester Review

15. Budget Status • FY10 budget • Carry over of travel funds from previous year • Delays will require an additional ~ $100k of support above current allocation • No future funding for larger format Si:As detector FORCAST Trimester Review

16. Are We Ready? Yes we are!! • FORCAST is working • Mechanisms and software appear very robust • Technical things to do yet (no show stoppers) • End-to-end testing of Calibration Box • Testing of IMC (shift-and-add) • Implement acquisition scripts for lineops flight scenarios • Implement digital detector bias control • Schedule risks • None • Early science planning underway for range of possible flight dates, e.g. Orion or Galactic Center emphasis • GC plan requires tweaking per new (June 2010) schedule for ESS • Line Ops will test different observing strategies (C2N, Scanning, etc.) FORCAST Trimester Review