The EISCAT_3D Preparatory Phase Ian McCrea STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory On behalf of The EISCAT_3D Project Team

The EISCAT_3D Preparatory Phase

Ian McCreaSTFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory

On behalf ofThe EISCAT_3D Project Team

Why do we need a Preparatory Phase?

Objectives:

- to provide catalytic and leveraging support for the preparatory phase leading to the construction of new RIs

• Building primarily upon the work conducted by ESFRI

• Bringing the project to the level of legal and financial maturity

• Involving all the necessary stakeholders to make the project move forward, take decision, etc.

• Activities: legal work, governance, strategic work, financial work and, if necessary, technical work

• Funding scheme: CP-CSA (combination of ‘collaborative project’ & ‘coordination and support actions’)

Why EISCAT_3D is unusual• EISCAT is already a mature organisation

• We have a well-developed governance framework (constitution, committees etc)

• We already have rules for admitting new members and affiliates

• We have brought new facilities into the association in the past (e.g. ESR) and will do so in the future (Chinese ESR antenna) without needing changes to the organisation

• Not everything is perfect, but we still have a huge head-start on most ESFRI projects

• This allows us to do some more interesting things in our Preparatory Phase

Why do we need a Preparatory Phase?

Objectives:

- to provide catalytic and leveraging support for the preparatory phase leading to the construction of new RIs

• Building primarily upon the work conducted by ESFRI

• Bringing the project to the level of legal and financial maturity

• Involving all the necessary stakeholders to make the project move forward, take decision, etc.

• Activities: legal work, governance, strategic work, financial work and, if necessary, technical work

• Funding scheme: CP-CSA (combination of ‘collaborative project’ & ‘coordination and support actions’)

Strategic Work

We need:

• new partners• publicity• development of science case• new communities to broaden science base• frequency permissions• discussions with governments, local communities...• sites and building permissions• provision of infrastructure• manufacturers to build the system

Financial Work

We need:

• to fully quantify the commitment needed

• build a financing consortium

• make a cost model for construction and operations

• decide how best to use the money we have

Technical WorkWe need:

• Continually revision and updating of the PSD

• Design of the signal processing system

• Develop system software (DSP, coding, analysis, control)

• Evaluate all antenna options, test prototypes

• Develop front end and timing system

• Prototype the transmitter

• Optimise the imaging system

• Review data system implementation

• Discuss mass production and quality control issues

Relationship to the Design StudyDesign study ran four years 2005-2009

Excellent groundwork for many areas:Performance SpecificationSite surveysFrequency allocationsScience CaseAntennasFront EndBeam-formingImaging systemsTransmitterData system

One large area unclosed:Signal processing

Looking at other options in FP7 does not mean rejecting the design study !!

FP7 ApplicationSubmitted December 3rd 2009

Total Value EUR 5.9M

8 project partners:

EISCAT Scientific AssociationUniversity of OuluLulea Technical UniversityUniversity of TromsoSwedish Institute of Space PhysicsSwedish National Infrastructure for ComputingSTFC Rutherford Appleton LaboratoryNational Instruments (Belgium)Swedish Research Council (VR)

Work Package ListWP1: Project management and reportingWP2: Legal and logistical issuesWP3: Science planning and user engagementWP4: Outreach activitiesWP5: Consortium buildingWP6: Performance specificationWP7: Digital signal processingWP8: Antenna, front end & time synchronisationWP9: Transmitter developmentWP10: Aperture synthesis imaging radarWP11: Software theory and implementationWP12: System controlWP13: Data handling and distributionWP14: Mass production and reliability

Reviewers Comments• Questions about co-ordination and governance issues

– Roles of governing bodies not described– Too little information on management procedures– Key personnel not identified

• Technical Issues– Large imbalance in Work Packages– Too little inter-dependence (many with one partner)– Support packages “RTD in character”

• Science Issues– Some communities only marginally addressed

• Other Issues– Management costs– End of life and decommissioning– Relevance of other infrastructures

Negotiation Process

• Letter from Commission confirming selection• Indicative maximum 4.5M Euro• First negotiation meeting Brussels 09/04• Lasted ~2 hours• Some good tips from the Commission• Paperwork to be re-submitted 24/05• Contract signing 11/06

Work Package 1: ManagementAims :

• Establish and maintain the project office• Maintain the project work plan, with changes being made as necessary

• Organise all necessary project meetings, including kick-off, finalisation and regular progress meetings

• Maintain a close communication with all of the partners and with the responsible scientific officer at the Commission

• Ensure the correct administration of project finances, including the preparation of budgets and regular financial monitoring and reporting

• Oversee the timely preparation and submission of all project reports

Work Package 1: Management

Milestones and Deliverables:• Month 1: Kick-off meeting • Month 2: Project Office established• Month 3: Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) . • Months 12, 24, 36: Annual “all-hands” meetings

and annual progress reports to the Commission • Month 48: Summary project meeting and final

report

Work Package 1: ManagementPartners and Resources:

• Duration: Months 1 to 48

• Lead Partner: EISCAT

• Responsible Person: Esa Turunen/Henrik Andersson

• Resources: EISCAT 18 staff months, STFC 9

• All other partners 0.8 to attend meetings, prepare finance information etc.

• Interactions: All other work packages

• TOTAL: 31.2 STAFF MONTHS

Work Package 2: Legal and Logistical Issues

Aims• Securing frequency allocations in countries where EISCAT_3D will

be deployed

• Finalise the site selection, identify all the relevant stakeholders and administrative issues which have to be addressed in order to allow construction to start

• Identify necessary steps for access to relevant infrastructure (power, utilities, networking, transport)

• Quantify full costs of each site development


Milestones and Deliverables

• Month 6: Agreement on frequencies

• Month 12: Site surveys completed, selected sites identified

• Month 24: Report on land rights, purchase/rental prices, terms and conditions, operating lifetimes, risk factors, community and environmental impacts, access to services and decommissioning arrangements

• Month 36: Initial list of site development costs

• Month 48: Final report


Partners and Resources:

• Duration: Months 1 to 48

• Lead Partner: EISCAT

• Responsible Person: Esa Turunen

• Resources: EISCAT 17 staff months, UiT 6

• Interactions: WP5 (Consortium), WP8 (Antennas), WP10 (Imaging)

• TOTAL: 23 staff months

Work Package 3: Science PlanningAims:

• Identify contacts in neighbouring science communities; discuss new applications of EISCAT_3D.

• Form a science working group

• Revise the science case, feed back to Performance Specification.

• Regularly rotate the working group continuously bringing in new people and ideas,

• Organisation of targeted workshops designed to bring together existing EISCAT users with new users in the atmospheric science and space weather communities

• Final versions of the EISCAT_3D science case and performance specification which fully reflect the combined demands of the expanded user community.

Work Package 3: Science PlanningMilestones and Deliverables:

• Month 2: List of contacts, first science working group

• Month 9: Initial revised science case consistent with PSD

• Month 18: Workshop with atmospheric physics community

• Month 20: Workshop with applications and modelling community

• Months 12, 24, 36, 48: Annual reports

• Continuously updated science case, available on web

Work Package 3: Science PlanningPartners and Resources:

•Duration: Months 1 to 46

•Lead Partner: University of Oulu/STFC

•Responsible Person: Anita Aikio & Ian McCrea

•Resources: Oulu 16, STFC 11

•Interactions: WP6 (Performance Specification)

•TOTAL: 27 staff months

Work Package 4: Outreach Activities

Aims• Recruit outreach specialist• Establish and maintain project website• Produce an outreach plan • Maintain continuous watch for funding opportunities• Develop publicity materials for:

– national/regional governments and research councils, – local communities and the general public, – students and schools (Task 4.5)

• Produce/maintain documents for further funding proposals,• Make regular presentation on status of project and projected future

activities


Milestones and Deliverables:

• Month 2: Recruit outreach specialist

• Month 3: Re-launch web site, publish outreach plan

• Month 4: Develop contact list

• Month 12: Library of outreach materials

• Month 18: Library of application materials

• Iterate, upgrade, publicise throughout project

• Help the community to make the case for EISCAT_3D



Duration: Month 1 to 48

Lead Partner: EISCAT

Responsible Person: Outreach Specialist (to be recruited)

Resources: EISCAT 24

Interactions: WP5 (Consortium Building)

TOTAL: 24 staff months

Work Package 5: Consortium Building

Aims• Discuss with all potential participants in EISCAT_3D, beginning with existing EISCAT members and

affiliates, and to include a full range of European and global partners.

• Identify funding opportunities, develop strategy to maximise them (in conjunction with Work Package 4), prepare and submit suitable applications.

• Encourage national space and atmospheric physics communities to undertake independent nationally-funded actions in support of EISCAT_3D.

• Clarify the detailed costs involved in implementing EISCAT_3D, and to develop a model for how such costs could be phased if it was necessary to implement the new infrastructure in an incremental manner.

• To reach agreement with as many new partners as possible by the time that the Preparatory Phase ends.

• Report on the status of the consortium at the end of the Preparatory Phase, recommend a suitable structure for the new organisation and make recommendations for how the implementation can be carried out, according to the funding known to be available.

Work Package 5: Consortium Building


• Month 6: List of potential partners and contacts

• Month 12: First list of costs and funding opportunities

• Month 24, 36: Annual progress report

• Month 48: Final report of consortium status at the end of the PP

Work Package 5: Consortium BuildingPartners and Resources:

Duration: Month 1 to Month 48


Responsible Person: Esa Turunen (assisted by Asgeir Brekke & Tomas Andersson)

Resources: EISCAT 28, UiT 6, VR 4

Interactions: WP2 (Site Selection), WP4 (Outreach)


Work Package 6: Performance Specification

Aims

• Revisit PSD from the FP6 design study stage to take account of the design study findings and incorporate any new ideas

• Produce a handbook of measurement principles, setting out how the system performance can be optimised by the application of innovative concepts in signal processing, coding, data handling and data analysis

• Update and maintain the PSD to be used for defining acceptable system performance and define the required outputs of the technical work packages

Work Package 6: Performance Specification


• Month 6: First revision of the PSD

• Month 9: Initial version of the handbook

• Month 12: Integration of handbook and PSD

• Development of handbook, liaison with other packages, regular iteration of PSD

• Month 24, 36: Annual report to Commission

• Month 48: Final version of handbook, integrating PSD

Work Package 6: Performance SpecificationPartners and Resources:

Duration: Months 1 to 48 (but most activity in months 1-12)

Lead Partner: University of Oulu

Responsible Person: Markku Lehtinen

Resources: Oulu 28 staff months, EISCAT 4, STFC 2

Interactions: All technical Work Packages (7-14) and WP3 (Science Planning)


Work Package 7: Digital Signal Processing

Aims:

• Development of FPGA code for the sampler systems to obtain functional solutions

• Acquisition of sampling hardware

• Integration of the sampling hardware with the analog front end

• Field-testing and demonstration of signal processing and beam-forming units

• Design of clock synchronisation system



• Month 12: Hardware acquired, report on implementation strategy

• Month 18: Hardware (and software from WP11) ready for field tests

• Month 30: End of field testing

• Month 32: Report on field tests

• Month 40: DSP and beam-forming unit constructed

• Month 42: Final report on signal processing and beam-forming



Duration: Months 1 to 42

Lead Partner: EISCAT & Oulu

Responsible Person: Markku Lehtinen & Juha Vierinen

Resources: EISCAT 34 staff months, Oulu 12, National Instruments 10

Interactions: WP6 (Performance Spec), WP11 (Software), WP14 (Production)


Work Package 8: Antenna, front end & timing

Aims:

• Specification of the physical and electrical design of individual antennas

• Optimisation of array configurations for hardware and electromagnetic properties (cf WP10)

• Design of the electrical and mechanical front end • Investigation of timing and antenna calibrations.



• Month 12: Evaluation of antenna concepts

• Month 18: Specification of antennas and (core) array configuration

• Month 24: Performance validation of front-end prototype, report on timing calibration solution

• Month 36: Report on antenna testing, manufacture of prototype antennas

• Month 40: Report on optimised front end

• Month 42: Final report




Lead Partner: Lulea Technical University

Responsible Person: Jonny Johansson

Resources: Lulea 48 staff months, National Instruments 2

Interactions: WP6 (Performance Specification), WP9 (Transmitter), WP10 (Imaging)


Work Package 9: Transmitter Development

Aims:

• Testing design of the transmit-receive (T/R) switching and receiver protection, particularly when operating with the power amplifier system developed in the FP6 Design Study

• Design, prototyping and testing of the system for the generation and modulation of low-level RF drive signals

• Prototyping and testing of the beam-forming of the transmitted beam



• Month 10: Evaluation of T/R switch prototypes complete

• Month 12: Report on T/R switch, first exciter prototype in operation

• Month 15: Revision of exciter design complete

• Month 17: Report on the digital exciter design

• Month 24: Delivery of two more exciter units

• Month 27: Demonstration of beam-steering capabilities

• Month 30: Report on beam-steering development




Lead Partner: IRF Kiruna

Responsible Person: Gudmund Wannberg

Resources: IRF 30 staff months

Interactions: WP6 (Performance Spec), WP8 (Antennas)


Work Package 10: Aperture Synthesis Imaging

Aims:

• Development of simulation software, allowing imaging algorithms to be tested for different configurations of the antenna arrays

• Evaluation of different algorithms for image inversion

• Determination of the optimum number and configuration of outlying passive phased array antennas to fulfil for ASIR imaging

• Development of operational inversion and visualisation software



• Month 6: Low-level simulation software available

• Month 18: Report on analysis of inversion algorithms

• Month 24: Report on outlier receiver configuration

• Month 36: Operational inversion and visualisation algorithms available




Lead Partner: University of Tromso

Responsible Person: Cesar La Hoz

Resources: UiT 24 months

Interactions: WP2 (site selection), WP8 (antennas)


Aims:

• Parallelisation of inverse problem-solving tools (FLIPS) for signal processing and data analysis in EISCAT_3D

• Production of software for signal processing and beam-forming systems (cf WP7)

• Development of multi-purpose codes to optimise the use of EISCAT_3D

• Development of data analysis software to take advantage of the new codes, and to allow for new experimental methods

• Integration of EISCAT_3D hardware and software

Work Package 11: Software Theory & Implementation


• Month 18: Signal processing and beam-forming software ready for WP7 field tests

• Month 24: FLIPS development complete

• Month 36: Complete set of optimised software for beam-forming and signal processing, optimised to hardware. Reports issued.





Lead Partner: University of Oulu

Responsible Person: Markku Lehtinen & Mikko Orispaa

Resources: Oulu 45 staff months

Interactions: WP6 (performance specification), WP7 (signal processing)


Work Package 12: System Control

Aims:

• Determine whether EROS can be generalised to run in a distributed computing architecture

• Resolve any potential problems with distributed implementation

• Assess what modifications to the core control software are needed to address the new EISCAT_3D opportunities

Work Package 12: System Control


• Month 21: Distributed version of EROS completed and generated

• Month 36: Required extensions to EROS completed and assessed, activities reported to the EU.

Work Package 12: System ControlPartners and Resources:



Responsible Person: Jussi Markkanen

Resources: EISCAT 15 staff months

Interactions: WP6 (Performance Specifications)


Work Package 13: Data HandlingAims:

• Determine how to address the networking requirements, using existing fibre networks as far as possible.

• Examine of any changes to the data-handling philosophy which might be required if the SDR philosophy is adopted for the signal processing and beam-forming.

• Interactions, and possible collaboration, with other ESFRI projects with respect to issues regarding data handling and distribution

• Examination of the potential of existing resource providers to address the storage and computing requirements for the EISCAT_3D system

• Determine the optimum method for implementing the EISCAT_3D data system concept:

Work Package 13: Data HandlingMilestones and Deliverables:

• Month 15: Report on strategy for network provision to identified sites

• Month 19: Report on effects on data handling due to selected signal processing strategy

• Month 30: Recommendations for implementation of data handling system

• Month 40: Report on EISCAT_3D data products and services

• Month 42: Final report on data handling activities

Work Package 13: Data HandlingPartners and Resources:


Lead Partner: VR/SNIC

Responsible Person: Mats Nylen (VR/SNIC) + person to be recruited

Resources: VR/SNIC 24 staff months (plus extension from ENV_ICT??)

Interactions: Work Package 2 (Site Selection), WP6 (Performance Spec), WP11 (software)

TOTAL: 24 staff months (extension from ENV_ICT?)

Work Package 14: Mass Production and Reliability

Aims

• Identification and specification of the components of the EISCAT_3D radar system that can be mass-produced

• Identification of suppliers capable of producing EISCAT_3D system elements in the volumes we require

• Definition of procedures for system testing and quality assurance

• Discussions with possible suppliers of mass-producible elements, and iteration of the design of those components

• Building prototypes for testing and verification purposes

• Preparation of the formal Requests For Quotations (RFQs) to be sent out to potential manufacturers at the beginning of the EISCAT_3D Construction Phase



• Month 25: Mass-producible components and design/performance specifications defined

• Month 26: List of potential suppliers and appropriate contacts made available

• Month 28: Testing and validation procedures defined for each component. Prototyping period starts.

• Month 46: Conclusion of prototyping/verification period

• Month 48: Final reports and production of draft RFQs





Responsible Person: Esa Turunen

Resources: EISCAT 12 staff months, LTU 10, NI 6

Interactions: WP6 (performance), WP7 (signal proc), WP8 (antennas), WP9 (transmitter)


Overall Staff and Resources

Project Administration

• General Assembly– Ultimate decision-making body– One member from each participant

• Executive Board– Responsible for project implementation– Two from co-ordinator, three other members

• Project Office– At EISCAT, supports management team

• Technical Advisory Committee– Monitoring body for technical execution of project– Chairperson, 4 participants, 2 external members

Community Meetings

Get Involved !!!!!

• You don’t have to be a partner• There will be Science Working Groups and

Community Meetings• Become one of our Associate Partners• Energise your national community• Talk to your Research Council• Tell us about funding opportunities• We can help you to help EISCAT_3D.....

Documents

The EISCAT_3D Preparatory Phase Ian McCrea STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory On behalf of The EISCAT_3D Project Team