CHIEF OBSERVER'S REPORT for Week 14 2-Apr-01 through 9-Apr-01

H. Hudson, A. Takeda

GENERAL

Although the naked-eye sunspot, AR9393 completed its disk passage, the flare activity remained high during the week. As everybody knows, there was an X20 (= Y2? Aren't these letters silly?) among the five X-classs flares and 14 M-class flares this week. Pretty amazing.

SXT TECHNICAL

No problems to report. At the WOM we requested an investigation into whether we could access the JPL "gateway" computer directly - this is the terminus of the DSN leased line for telemetry. If so we could automate the reformatting of weekend data.

SXT SCIENTIFIC

For Web material see the science nuggets:

Current Week: http://isass1.solar.isas.ac.jp/sxt_co/010406.html Index: http://isass1.solar.isas.ac.jp/sxt_co/index.html

This week's science nugget, "The most powerful solar flare in decades!", of course does the best it can with the Y2 flare. We missed the most interesting part, but the nugget points out that the events of this week (from two regions) refute the odd idea that two regions producing huge flares cannot coexist.

CAMPAIGNS

We remain on the alert for sigmoids as a Target Of Opportunity.

For SXT plans, see: http://isass1.solar.isas.ac.jp/sxt_co/sxt_future.html

For SXT completed campaigns, see: http://isass1.solar.isas.ac.jp/sxt_co/sxt_catalog.html

PERSONNEL

No changes. Frequent welcome visitor Silja Pohjolainen returned.

SEMINARS

T. Sakurai (NAO): "Interpolation of Images with Photon Number Conservation" This talk presented an analysis of a mathematical technique for a better method of pixel interpolation. There was some debate about the meaning of "better" and of "interpolation", but little attention was paid to the suggestion that "pixel" should be debated too. But, come to think of it, "number" also caused some controversy. All in all clearly interesting, especially following the CDAW of January.

SXT TABLE PLAN, WEEK 15 (9-Apr-01 through 15-Apr-01)

The CME watch campaign has been postponed. We will plan to do standard observations, with the target-of-opportunity sigmoid campaign still in the background.

JST Day UT Start Time Pass Table ID

Monday PM       9-APR-01 12:09     3      010409 P3 ARS1 STD
 Tuesday PM     10-APR-01 07:07     1      010410 P1 ARS1 DARK 
 Tuesday PM     10-APR-01 12:10     4      010410 P4 ARS1 DIFF
 Wednesday PM   11-APR-01 07:07     1      010411 P1 ARS1 STD
 Thursday PM    12-APR-01 10:31     3      010412 P3 ARS1 STD
 Friday PM      13-APR-01 07:08     2      010413 P2 ARS1 STD
 Saturday PM    14-APR-01 10:32     4      010413 P4 ARS1 STD
The date part of a table ID reflects the UT date of pass 1.

A '*' means that the UT date of pass 1 differs from the JST date of the pass in question

This table plan is likely to change. Prepare for last minute changes.

Continuing requests:

KSC & SSOC Tohbans: If any KSC passes are likely to be cancelled (for example due to typhoons) or an SXT table cannot be uploaded for any reason, please telephone and e-mail the Chief Observer immediately. (sxt_co@isass0.solar.isas.ac.jp, copy to sxt_st@flare2.solar.isas.ac.jp).

KSC Tohbans: In general flare mode supersedes table upload, i.e. if a flare is in progress please do not upload a new table, and contact the chief observer. Normally it is OK to go ahead with the planned table without change on the next pass, if it is available. Chief observers should keep an eye on this.