Proposal Data Entry Centre - Phase 2

The Principal Investigators of proposals/observations with priorities above the cut-off value (see section 6.2.2) must visit--or login remotely to--the ``ISO Proposal Data Entry Centre'', located at ESTEC in Noordwijk, the Netherlands in order to enter full details of their observations into the data bases of the SOC; US proposers will use IPAC. The observing parameters that have to be entered are described in the various Instrument Observers Manuals; any necessary further details will be supplied to visitors together with a ``Users Guide'' to the centre prior to their arrival. Visitors should arrive with all appropriate details of their observation parameters prepared, including knowledge about the targets themselves and the infrared sky in which they are located (e.g. via IRSKY). Except for polarisation observations, the data submitted during Phase 1 will be available in a data base as the starting point for addition of the Phase 2 details. During Phase 2 data entry, proposers must adhere to their Phase 1 target lists (as amended by OTAC, if relevant).

Successful proposers of polarisation observations will be assigned a Resident Astronomer from the SOC staff (if one is not already present on the proposal) who will contact the proposers and discuss with them the details of the observations. These observations will not be entered via PGA, but via a different process, using a software system whose use requires expert assistance from a SOC astronomer in order to ensure that valid and feasible observations are entered into the system.

The Proposal Entry Data Centre will be open from late November 1996 to about the end of January 1997 for Supplemental Call Phase 2 data entry. SOC staff will contact the Principal Investigators of proposals above the cut-off priority to agree on dates to visit (or remotely login to) the centre. ESA will not support travel and subsistence for Phase 2 data entry.

Facilities at the centre includes:

• the Proposal Generation Aids software, which permits entry of the full set of observing parameters per observation and which, using the same software as the Mission Planning system, calculates the time needed for the observation,
• various time estimators for calculating the necessary exposure times and observation details for the instruments,
• IRSKY using the IRAS data bases and additional algorithms to assist in assessing the feasibility of observations,
• the Proposal Handling software, which checks the validity of all entered data and calculates the duration of each observation as seen by the spacecraft. It also produces a full report on the observations and is used to confirm that the correct version of the programme has been archived,
• various other software tools to determine and/or verify the visibility of the planned targets in the different launch windows,
• access to catalogues, e-mail and standard office facilities.

The Proposal Entry Data Centre will be operated by scientific and technical staff from the SOC, who will assist visitors in the entry of their data and who will check, as thoroughly as possible, that the observations are both feasible and optimised. It is only after completion of the Phase 2 data entry and checking process that the feasibility of the observations will have been verified. Significant discrepancies between Phase 1 and Phase 2 feasibilities and durations will be notified to OTAC, who may re-adjust the scientific priorities awarded to proposals and/or observations.