Appendices to the third ASCA NRA

["Charles Day, ASCA GOF, NASA GSFC" <DAY@lheavx.gsfc.nasa.gov>]

The Technical Appendix to the third ASCA NRA is now available via
anonymous FTP at legacy.gsfc.nasa.gov:

in the Latex file:

   asca/nra_info/ao3_appendices/appendix_e.tex

Appendices A & C, which describe the ASCA program, are also available in
the same directory - in the Tex (_not_ Latex) file appendices_ac.tex. We
apologize for the delay in distributing the appendices: the GOF has only
recently obtained all the necessary information for the updated
Technical Appendix. Please note: the figures are identical to those in
the AO-2 version.

Proposers should bear in mind the following important changes from AO-2
to AO-3 which are contained in the appendices.


AO-3, UNLIKE A0-1 AND AO-2, IS FOR ONE YEAR OF OBSERVING TIME. The
actual period covered is November 1994 to November 1995.


FOR THE MANDATORY ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION OF PROPOSALS, PLEASE USE APS3.
APS3, which stands for "ASCA Proposal Submission, AO-3," is available
via anonymous FTP at legacy.gsfc.nasa.gov in the directory:

   asca/nra_info/aps3

Please copy the help file, aps3_help.txt, and the appropriate
executable.


WORSENING RADIATION DAMAGE IS AFFECTING THE SPECTRAL RESOLUTION OF THE
SIS. Spectral resolution is determined, in part, by CTE (charge transfer
efficiency) which is degrading due to radiation damage. So far, no
concomitant reduction in resolution has been detected. However, if the
current rate of CTE degradation continues, by the end of AO-3 (November
1995) the spectral resolution will be such that the width of a
monochromatic line at 0.7 keV will have increased by 50 per cent, while
that of a monochromatic line at 6.4 keV will have increased by 10 per
cent.


THE RATE OF HOT AND FLICKERING PIXELS CONTINUES TO INCREASE AND NOW
SIGNIFICANTLY CONSTRAINS SIS OBSERVATIONS, ESPECIALLY OF EXTENDED
OBJECTS. The current rate of hot and flickering pixels is such that SIS
observations in 4-CCD mode must be done in high bit rate. Due to the
limited capacity of the on-board data recorder, the satellite cannot
operate continuously in high bit rate without losing 35 per cent of on-
source exposure. This means that proposers who wish to observe in 4-CCD
mode must multiply their required integration times by 1.54. For
example, if simulations show that a proposed 4-CCD observation of a
cluster requires an integration of 26 ks, then 40 ks should be
requested. More details about this issue are contained in the Technical
Appendix, and if you have questions, please contact the ASCA GOF at:

   ascanra@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov


ALL JAPANESE, J/US AND EUROPEAN PRIORITY-C TARGETS IN THE CURRENT
PROGRAM THAT ARE NOT OBSERVED WILL BE DROPPED. Proposals for these
targets will be considered if they are not observed by the end of AO-2.
Please check the long-term and short-term timelines on the World Wide
Web at:

   http://heasarc.gsfc.nasa.gov/docs/asca/ascagof.html

or via anonymous FTP at legacy.gsfc.nasa.gov under asca/timelines for
the latest information.

All AO-2 US and US/J priority C targets will be upgraded to B and will
be observed in AO-3. Proposals for these targets will not be accepted,
unless a new observation mode or longer exposure time is required.


If you have any questions about ASCA AO-3, please send email to
ascanra@athena.gsfc.nasa.gov.