Chapter 6.  Using HSpot to Create HIFI Observations

Table of Contents

6.1. Overview
6.2. HSpot Components for Setting Up a HIFI Observation
6.2.1. Working with A HIFI Pointed or Mapping Observation Template
6.2.2. HIFI Spectral Scan AOT
6.3. Example HIFI Single Point Observation Setups
6.3.1. Example 1: Observing the [CII] line using Frequency Switch in a photodissociation region
6.3.2. Example 2: A Dual Beam Switch (DBS) mode AGB Observation
6.4. Example Setup of a HIFI Mapping AOR
6.4.1. Example 3: Scan Mapping of the Spectral Lines CO(7-6) and CI(2-1) in the Centre of M51 .
6.5. Example Setup of a HIFI Spectral Scan Observation
6.5.1. Example 4: Spectral Survey of a Hot Core.

6.1. Overview

Within HSpot we have four modes of taking point sources (Dual Beam Switch (DBS) -- with fast or slow chop, load chop -- with or without a reference OFF position, frequency switch -- with or without a reference OFF position, and position switch), three modes of mapping ("On-the-fly" -- or scan -- mapping with an OFF or frequency switch reference, and raster mapping using DBS).

Under mapping modes there is also the possibility of a fixed position 5-point cross designed to handle small pointing or position inaccuracies to provide accurate flux measuremetns.

There is also a special mode for allowing large spectral coverage in a single observation -- the spectral scan mode, which can use either a dual beam switch or frequency switch reference scheme.

It is also possible to set up the HIFI spectrometers so that multiple resolutions are available covering several spectral lines in a single observation.

In this chapter we provide examples of how to set up some simple, and not so simple, observations that cover point sources, mapping and spectral scans. The intent of this chapter is to illustrate the general way in which to formulate HIFI AORs that are suitable for submission to the Herschel Science Centre (HSC) as part of a proposal. Along the way a number of the features of the HSpot observation planning software will be illustrated.