LTP13 will run from 2023-09-25T00:00:00 to 2024-01-01T00:00:00

Orbital context

Plots are in GSE (geocentric solar ecliptic) coordinates, so Earth is at [0,0], the Sun is at [1,0]. The plot is the projection of the orbit on the ecliptic plane. 


Animated Version: Orbit_GSE_2023H2.mp4

Definition for the grey shading representing downlink rates:

  • white = maximum downlink rate at which you can empty the SSMM in ~10 days
  • light-grey = SSMM fill state decreases with everyone operating at EID-A rates
  • mid-grey = SSMM fill state increases within RSW (10 instruments operating) and decreases outside RSW (IS-only breakeven rate < downlink rate < inside-RSW breakeven rate )
  • dark-grey = SSMM fill state increases with just IS operating (downlink rate < IS-only breakeven rate)

RS window placement

As tentatively agreed during the SWT-32, the 3 RS windows in H2-2023 will be placed in LTP-13 at the following times and locations:

Window

EXT Start

Start

End

Heliocentric
Distance
Range [au]

Heliographic
Latitude
Range [deg]

SC-Sun-Earth
Angle Range
[deg]

Conjunction

Safe Mode Comms Blackout

Largest Comms Roll

GAM Restrictions

RSW10
(10 d)
2023-09-30T00:00:00 2023-10-01T00:00:002023-10-11T00:00:00

0.330.29
23-10-07		0.31
-7.330
23-10-10		0.8614790
23-10-10
84//-7 deg until
2023-09-29 (before RSW)		/
RSW11
(10 d)		2023-10-11T00:00:002023-10-12T00:00:00
2023-10-22T00:00:00
0.31
0.421.8
7.1678
38////
RSW12
(10 d)		2023-10-22T00:00:002023-10-23T00:00:00
2023-11-02T00:00:00
0.44
0.567.36
7.9835
19////


GAMs and conjunctions

  • Superior conjunction from 2023-09-14 to 2023-09-28, crossing the LTP12-13 boundary: no downlink will be possible during this period.
  • No GAM in this period.

Science and calibration planning

Overall objectives:

  • High-resolution observations around the perihelion of 7 October 2023 (0.29 au).

  • Active region catching, if not done already during the April perihelion. Focus on flux emergence and do more full-disc high-resolution mosaics around 0.5 au.

Coordinated science (and cross-calibration) campaigns:

Opportunities before RSWs:

RSW10 (2023-10-01 - 2023-10-11)

  • 2023-10-01: L_FULL_HRES_HCAD_Coronal-Dynamics at disk centre, led by Metis (~4 days)
    SOOP Coordinator: D. Spadaro
  • 2023-10-05: R_FULL_HRES_HCAD_Density-Fluctuations at disk centre (1 day)
    SOOP Coordinator: D. Spadaro
  • 2023-10-06: R_SMALL_HRES_HCAD_RS-burst for high-resolution science close to perihelion, at a quiet sun target - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: S. Mandal, A. Siu, H. Peter (C. Nelson, L. Hayes)
  • 2023-10-06 to 08: L_SMALL_MRES_MCAD_Connection-Mosaic (3x2 mosaic, lasting ~2 days) for finding the connection point with S/C - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: A. Giunta, D. Hassler
  • 2023-10-07: Perihelion at 0.29 au
  • 2023-10-08: L_SMALL_HRES_HCAD_Fast-Wind targeting a potential source region of fast wind. This target is tracked during two days, with a short high-resolution campaign each day. - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinators: A. James, E. Buchlin, L. Franci (supporting S. Yardley)
  • 2023-10-10: R_SMALL_HRES_HCAD_RS-burst for high-resolution science close to perihelion, at an Active Region target - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: S. Mandal, A. Siu, H. Peter (C. Nelson, L. Hayes)
  • 2023-10-10: L_SMALL_MRES_MCAD_Earth-Quadrature at West limb - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: A. Giunta, S. Parenti, D. Berghmans
  • 2023-10-10: Earth Quadrature West (00:34:17) and STEREO-A Quadrature West (18:11:09)

RSW11 (2023-10-12 - 2023-10-22)

  • 2023-10-12 to 20: R_SMALL_MRES_MCAD_AR-Long-Term: Long-term observations of an Active Region to monitor AR plasma parameters variation (incl. SPICE Doppler maps) - 8 days of AR tracking with daily high-resolution observations - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinators: J. Sinjan, L. Hayes (supporting S. Parenti, G. Valori)
  • 2023-10-17:  R_SMALL_HRES_MCAD_Polar-Observations at North Pole, 9 hours coordinated with Hinode that will observe the same heliographic latitude (runs in parallel to SOOP above)
    SOOP Coordinators: H. Strecker, J. Blanco 
  • 2023-10-20: R_SMALL_HRES_HCAD_Atmospheric_Dynamics_Structure: 6 hours high-cadence PHI observations of an AR, combined with EUI/HRI and SPICE, for studies of flows and waves inside sunspots, requiring stereoscopy - AR/sunspot target - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: D. Calchetti 
  • 2023-10-20 to 21: L_BOTH_HRES_LCAD_CH-Boundary-Expansion led by Metis. The main SOOP is scheduled during disk centre pointing. SPICE will support in the hours before, scanning three positions at the limb - pVSTP(limb) + disk centre
    SOOP Coordinator: D. Spadaro, T. Grundy, A. Giunta

RSW12 (2023-10-23 - 2023-11-02)

  • 2023-10-22 to 24: L_FULL_HRES_HCAD_Eruption-Watch led by Metis with contributions by SoloHI and full disk telescopes (starts in between RSW11 and 12) - Disk Centre
    SOOP Coordinator: D. Spadaro
  • 2023-10-24 to 26: L_SMALL_HRES_HCAD_Fast-Wind targeting a potential source region of fast wind. This target is tracked during 3 days with short high-resolution campaigns each day. - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinators: A. James, E. Buchlin, L. Franci (supporting S. Yardley)
  • 2023-10-26: Metis campaign to observe comet Encke passing FOV
  • 2023-10-27: R_SMALL_HRES_MCAD_Full-Disk-Mosaic at the time the S/C is at 0.5 au from the Sun - predefined 5x5 pointing pattern
    SOOP Coordinator: D. Berghmans
  • 2023-10-28 to 11-01: R_SMALL_HRES_MCAD_AR-Heating : daily high-cadence observation runs, targeting an Active Region - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: A. Fludra
  • 2023-10-28: R_SMALL_MRES_HCAD_Sunspot-Oscillations: SPICE sit-and-stare observations of a sunspot, supported by EUI and PHI high-resolution observations - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: A. Fludra
  • 2023-10-28: R_BOTH_HRES_MCAD_Bright-Points: SPICE-led 10-hrs study at Quiet Sun target - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: A. Fludra
  • 2023-10-31:  R_SMALL_HRES_MCAD_Polar-Observations at North Pole
    SOOP Coordinators: H. Strecker, J. Blanco
  • 2023-11-01: R_SMALL_HRES_LCAD_Composition-vs-Height:  Limb pointing for composition-vs-height observations led by SPICE and Metis - pVSTP
    SOOP Coordinator: T. Grundy, A. Giunta

Opportunities after RSWs:

  • 2023-11-13: R_SMALL_HRES_MCAD_Full-Disk-Mosaic SPICE-led full disk mosaic including full composition rasters (25 positions, 22mins dwells), run at 0.7au from the Sun
    SOOP Coordinators: T. Grundy, D. Berghmans
  • 2023-12-28: PSP Perihelion and Quadrature West: off-pointing to the West limb and additional roll to get PSP in Metis' FOV.
    Context for Metis observations in PSP-SO_quadrature_December_2023.pdf SOOP coordinator: M. Romoli

IS calibrations:

  • 2023-11-22: MAG calibration roll incl. 13 revolutions around Sun-SC axis

RS calibrations:

  • 2023-09-30: PHI FDT flatfield (CC_OFFPOI_FLATFIELD_FULL)
  • 2023-10-10: PHI HRT calibration both at disk centre and at active target
  • 2023-10-11: PHI FDT + EUI FSI flatfield, in the gap between RSW10 and 11  (CC_OFFPOI_FLATFIELD_FULL, 2nd instance for PHI only)
  • 2023-11-02: PHI FDT flatfield (CC_OFFPOI_FLATFIELD_FULL)
  • 2023-11-02: Special type of off-pointing mosaic for co-alignment purposes, led by STIX (CC_OFFPOI_STIX)
  • 2023-11-04: Alpha Vir occultation for Metis calibration, incl. limb pointing for EUI/HRI and SPICE (CC_OFFPOI_STAR)
  • 2023-11-22: Annual deep EUI calibration using darks and LEDs
  • 2023-12-08: PHI FDT flatfield (CC_OFFPOI_FLATFIELD_FULL)
  • 2023-12-06 to 31: more calibration stars for Metis (delta Sco, pi Sco, tau Sco, theta Oph)

IS-only science:

  • EPD & STIX observations with constant telemetry rates throughout LTPs 10-13

  • Other in situ instruments in high rate throughout LTP13

SOOP Kitchen plan

High-level (=MLP) plan: https://solarorbiter.esac.esa.int/soopkitchen/#/planning/plan/Mission%20Level%20Plan%20for%20LTP12%20and%2013

Starting point for LTP planning in SOWG: https://solarorbiter.esac.esa.int/soopkitchen/#/planning/plan/LTP13_Sep2023-Dec2023

Final plan LTP13: https://solarorbiter.esac.esa.int/soopkitchen/#/planning/plan/LTP13_Sep2023-Dec2023

Output has been formally distributed on 1 Aug 2023 (baseline 5).

Reference material

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