Chapter 22
NIRCam Time Series Imaging
In this chapter…
22.1 Introduction
The NIRCam Time Series Imaging template is to be used for all observations using the time
series mode of NIRCam. These observations can be used to study high S/N spectrophotometric
observations of exoplanet transits, stellar occultations, and solar system observations. The
parameters described in this section are used to specify the observation for NIRCam Time Series
Imaging. More complete descriptions of the detector readout parameters, filters/dispersers,
detector characteristics, etc. are available in the NIRCam Instrument Handbook.
The following fields are defined in Chapter 5: Observation Number (5.1), Observation Label
(5.2), Observation Comments (5.3), Target Name (5.4), Observation-Level Special Requirements
(5.5), and On Hold Comments (5.6), and will not be discussed in this Chapter.
The NIRCam Time Series Imaging template [NCM0661] consists of the following parameters:
Field
Module [NCM0853]
Subarray
[NCM0662]
Details
select module
select subarray name
Values
B [NCM0854]
FULL, SUB400P,
SUB160P, SUB64P
[NCM0663]
choose from list
[NCM0665]
Notes
Filter
[NCM0664]
select filter name
Pupil
[NCM0666]
select pupil name
choose from list
[NCM0667]
see Table 22-4 and
Table 22-5
Readout Pattern
[NCM0668]
Number of Groups
[NCM0670]
select readout pattern
see Table 22-8
specify number of
groups
choose from list
[NCM0669]
number
[NCM0671]
Number of Integrations
[NCM0672]
specify number of
integrations
number
[NCM0673]
1
see Table 22-1
see Table 22-2 and
Table 22-3
Number of Exposures
[NCM0674]
number [NCM0675]
specify number of
exposures
Note that ALL parameters listed below are required as part of your Phase I
submission.
22.2 NIRCam Time Series Imaging
The following parameters are used to define NIRSpec Time Series Imaging observations.
Note for developer: This template cannot be used in parallel [NCM0676] and cannot have
parallels attached to it [NCM0677]; the NO PARALLEL special requirement should be added
as an implicit requirement [NCM0678].
Note for developer: This template cannot be used with a mosaic [NCM0679].
Note for developer: The star_tracker_thermal_sensitive flag should be set to true [field going
away].
22.2.1
Module
MODULE [MODULE] = B [NCM0680]
This parameter specifies the module to be used to obtain the data. One long wavelength detector
and one short wavelength detector in the specified module are used.
22.2.2
Subarray
SUBARRAY [SUBARRAY] = FULL [NCM0681], SUB400P [NCM0682],
SUB160P [NCM0683], SUB64P [NCM0684]
This parameter specifies the region of the SCA that is to be read out. See Table 22-1 for details.
Table 22-1 Subarrays for NIRCam Time Series Imaging
Subarray
Rows
Columns
Light Sensitive
Columns
2
FULL
SUB400P
SUB160P
SUB64P
22.2.3
2048
400
160
64
2048
400
160
64
All
All
All
All
Filters and Pupils
Select the name of each FILTER [FILTLONG, FILTSHORT] pair (see Table 22-2 and Table
22-3) and each PUPIL [PUPILLONG, PUPILSHORT] pair (see Table 22-4 and Table 22-5)
that you wish to use [NCM0685]. The allowed combinations are shown in Tables Table 22-6
and Table 22-7.
Table 22-2 Filters Available for NIRCam Short Wavelength Camera
Filter
Single Filters
F070W
F090W
F115W
F150W
F150W2
F200W
F140M
F182M
F210M
F187N
F212N
[NCM0686]
[NCM0687]
[NCM0688]
[NCM0689]
[NCM0690]
[NCM0691]
[NCM0692]
[NCM0693]
[NCM0694]
[NCM0695]
[NCM0696]
Center Wavelength 0
(m)
Filter Bandpass
(m)
0.70
0.90
1.15
1.50
1.50
2.00
1.14
1.82
2.10
1.87
2.12
0.175
0.225
0.288
0.375
1.000
0.500
0.140
0.221
0.210
0.019
0.021
Comment
Pα
H2
Table 22-3 Filters Available for NIRCam Long Wavelength Camera
Filter
Single Filters
F277W
F322W2
F356W
F444W
F250M
F300M
F335M
[NCM0697]
[NCM0698]
[NCM0699]
[NCM0700]
[NCM0701]
[NCM0702]
[NCM0703]
Center Wavelength 0
(m)
Filter Bandpass
(m)
2.77
3.22
3.56
4.44
2.50
3.00
3.35
0.693
1.610
0.890
1.110
0.167
0.300
0.335
3
Comment
F360M
F410M
F430M
F460M
F480M
[NCM0704]
[NCM0705]
[NCM0706]
[NCM0707]
[NCM0708]
3.60
4.10
4.30
4.60
4.80
0.360
0.410
0.200
0.200
0.400
Table 22-4 Pupils Available for NIRCam Short Wavelength Camera
Pupil
CLEAR
F162M
F164N
WLP8
Center
Wavelength
0 (m)
[NCM0709]
[NCM0710]
[NCM0711]
[NCM0712]
Filter
Bandpass
(m)
1.62
1.64
0.151
0.016
Comment
Imaging pupil
CO (6-3)
Fe II
Weak Lens (-8 waves defocus)
Table 22-5 Pupils Available for NIRCam Long Wavelength Camera
Pupil
CLEAR
F323N
F405N
F466N
F470N
Center
Wavelength 0
(m)
[NCM0713]
[NCM0714]
[NCM0715]
[NCM0716]
[NCM0717]
Filter
Bandpass
(m)
3.23
4.05
4.66
4.70
0.032
0.041
0.047
0.047
Comment
Imaging pupil
H2
Brα
Table 22-6 Supported Short Wavelength Optical Configurations
SW Pupil
CLEAR
F162M
F164N
WLP8
F070W
Y [NCM0718]
N [NCM0719]
N [NCM0720]
N [NCM0721]
F090W
Y [NCM0722]
N [NCM0723]
N [NCM0724]
N [NCM0725]
F115W
Y [NCM0726]
N [NCM0727]
N [NCM0728]
N [NCM0729]
F150W
Y [NCM0730]
N [NCM0731]
Y [NCM0732]
Y [NCM0733]
SW Pupil
CLEAR
F162M
F164N
WLP8
F150W2
N [NCM0734]
Y [NCM0735]
N [NCM0736]
N [NCM0737]
F200W
Y [NCM0738]
N [NCM0739]
N [NCM0740]
Y [NCM0741]
F140M
Y [NCM0742]
N [NCM0743]
N [NCM0744]
Y [NCM0745]
F182M
Y [NCM0746]
N [NCM0747]
N [NCM0748]
Y [NCM0749]
SW Pupil
F210M
F187N
F212N
4
CLEAR
F162M
F164N
WLP8
Y [NCM0750]
N [NCM0751]
N [NCM0752]
Y [NCM0753]
Y [NCM0754]
N [NCM0755]
N [NCM0756]
Y [NCM0757]
Y [NCM0758]
N [NCM0759]
N [NCM0760]
Y [NCM0761]
Table 22-7 Supported Long Wavelength Optical Configurations
SW Pupil
CLEAR or
F162M or
F164N
WLP8
WLP8
WLP8
WLP8
SW Pupil
CLEAR or
F162M or
F164N
WLP8
WLP8
WLP8
WLP8
SW Pupil
CLEAR or
F162M or
F164N
WLP8
WLP8
WLP8
WLP8
LW
Pupil
CLEAR
F277W
F322W2
F356W
F444W
Y [NCM0762]
Y [NCM0767]
Y [NCM0772]
Y [NCM0777]
F323N
F405N
F466N
F470N
N [NCM0763]
N [NCM0764]
N [NCM0765]
N [NCM0766]
N [NCM0768]
N [NCM0769]
N [NCM0770]
N [NCM0771]
Y [NCM0773]
N [NCM0774]
N [NCM0775]
N [NCM0776]
N [NCM0778]
Y [NCM0779]
Y [NCM0780]
Y [NCM0781]
LW
Pupil
CLEAR
F250M
F300M
F335M
F360M
Y [NCM0782]
Y [NCM0787]
Y [NCM0792]
Y [NCM0797]
F323N
F405N
F466N
F470N
N [NCM0783]
N [NCM0784]
N [NCM0785]
N [NCM0786]
N [NCM0788]
N [NCM0789]
N [NCM0790]
N [NCM0791]
N [NCM0793]
N [NCM0794]
N [NCM0795]
N [NCM0796]
N [NCM0798]
N [NCM0799]
N [NCM0800]
N [NCM0801]
LW
Pupil
CLEAR
F410M
F430M
F460M
F480M
Y [NCM0802]
Y [NCM0807]
Y [NCM0812]
Y [NCM0817]
F323N
F405N
F466N
F470N
N [NCM0803]
N [NCM0804]
N [NCM0805]
N [NCM0806]
N [NCM0808]
N [NCM0809]
N [NCM0810]
N [NCM0811]
N [NCM0813]
N [NCM0814]
N [NCM0815]
N [NCM0816]
N [NCM0818]
N [NCM0819]
N [NCM0820]
N [NCM0821]
Note to developer: The proposer to select the SW configuration first (with LW initially grayed
out), then present only the allowed LW configurations. [NCM0822]
22.2.4
Readout Pattern
READOUT PATTERN [READOUT PATTERN] = RAPID [NCM0823],
BRIGHT1 [NCM0824], BRIGHT2 [NCM0825], SHALLOW2 [NCM0826],
5
SHALLOW4 [NCM0827], MEDIUM2 [NCM0828], MEDIUM8 [NCM0829],
DEEP2 [NCM0830], DEEP8 [NCM0831]
This field specifies the readout pattern to be used to obtain the data. See Table 22-8 for when to
use the various readout patterns.
22.2.5
Number of Groups
NUMBER OF GROUPS [NGROUPS] specifies the number of groups in an integration (see
Table 22-8 for the maximum values) [NCM0832].
22.2.6
Number of Integrations
NUMBER OF INTEGRATIONS [NINTS] field specifies the number of times the integration
is repeated (1 [NCM0855]-65536 [NCM0856]) [NCM0833].
Table 22-8 Maximum Number of Groups for Time Series
Readout Pattern
Legal
Illegal
RAPID
BRIGHT1
BRIGHT2
SHALLOW2
SHALLOW4
[NCM0834]
[NCM0835]
[NCM0836]
[NCM0837]
[NCM0838]
[NCM0843]
[NCM0844]
[NCM0845]
[NCM0846]
[NCM0847]
Max
Grps
10
10
10
10
10
MEDIUM2
MEDIUM8
DEEP2
DEEP8
[NCM0839]
[NCM0840]
[NCM0841]
[NCM0842]
[NCM0848]
[NCM0849]
[NCM0850]
[NCM0851]
10
10
20
20
22.2.7
Usage
Fastest mode possible
bright objects; high BKG/wide filters
bright objects; high BKG/wide filters
shallow surveys/bright objects; high BKG/ wide filters
shallow surveys/bright objects; moderate BKG/narrow
or medium filters
medium/shallow surveys; moderate BKG/wide filters
medium/shallow surveys; low BKG/narrow filters
deep surveys; moderate BKG/wide filters
deep surveys; low BKG/narrow filters
Number of Exposures
NUMBER OF EXPOSURES [NEXP] field specifies the number of times the exposure is to be
repeated [NCM0852].
6