CSO has recently implemented a weather multiplexing policy, under which a high-opacity program is scheduled in parallel with each program that requires excellent weather conditions. The CSO Technical Manager (or a staff member that he designates) makes the decision whether the low-tau or high-tau program is executed on a given night on the basis of a number of weather indicators and forecasts. The 225 GHz zenith opacity of 0.06 is used as the differentiating factor and the responsible staff person uses the current afternoon opacity reading and his/her best estimate of what the opacity will be during the night to make the call. Any questions regarding the choice of the program should be directed to the Technical Manager or the designated CSO staff member.
CSO safety rules require that at least two observers be present at the observatory at any time. Therefore each program scheduled on a given half-night is required to provide at least one observer (two observers if the program is not flexed). Whenever a low-tau program is multiplexed with a high-tau program, and either of the programs has only one observer, then both observers must go to the telescope every night, regardless of which program is executed. The enforcement of the two-observer rule will be achieved by monitoring the observing schedule, which will now specify the minimum number of observers required for a given program.
Last revised 07/12/2006 - Darek Lis