Summary

By reading the present polar.dat template files we see that most of the observer's have used the recommended raster mode and often used the correct ID_CAT keyword. Often template files have been delivered with the wrong syntax. Please use the syntax check tool which you may down-load form ftp://ftp.iso.vilspa.esa.es/pub/isoweb/soft/pol/

The following needs a re-edit or additional check of your observation template file:

• ID_OBS (see Section 7.2)
  
• (see Section 3.1)
  
• (see Section 3.1)
  
• (e.g. = 2, see Section 3.2)
  
• SEQ_RESET (e.g. DARK for avoiding saturation, see Chapter 4)
  
• OBS_FILTER (use of LW filter, see Chapter 5)
  
• PNT_COORD (check that coordinates are entered as epoch J2000)
  
• Target visibility (please use tool on our web site)

In the appendix a template for a standard polar.dat file is given. The example is set up for a source having a flux of F   100ADU/s/g. A 2x2 raster (M=N= 2) with dM=dN = 8 pixels (= 12 arcsec) is used. The number of exposures are =100 and = 15. The number of stabilization frames read =15. Two cycles are used ( =2) and the integration time is = 2sec (=15 camtu). The keyword SEQ_RESET = PARALLEL. The example will take a total observing time including all overheads of TDT = 5908 sec.

Say saturation would happen while arriving in CAM parallel mode configuration, e.g. because there is a very bright source in the field of view of ISOCAM. Then one would need the offset procedure to avoid saturation and one would need to specify SEQ_RESET = DARK. In this case the total TDT would increase to: 6338s.