How to Change STIX Dynamic Time Binning

1 Introduction

STIX uses dynamic time binning onboard to ensure that onboard storage and telemetry is not wasted by having time bins that only have background counts. This scheme relies on 3 parameters:

• Minimum integration time
• Maximum integration time
• Maximum counts per bin.

As STIX accumulated counts, the time bin is closed IF:

• The minimum integration time is exceeded

AND

• Maximum integration time OR maximum counts is reached.

Once a time bin is closed, a new one is started automatically and counts continue to be accumulated.

To customise this scheme therefore, we need to alter these parameters in the ASW (onboard application software).

2 Procedure

Once Starlet has been open and an IOR or PDOR has been set up, do the following:

• Change STIX into Configuration mode. Be sure to truncate the calibration run if switching from Nominal mode.
• Click "Add Sequence" and select command sequence AIXF414A Load ASW Parameter v02. This enables you to change an application software parameter. In the pop-up window that appears set the following parameters:
  • Parameter ID = 312 (minimum integration time) or 313 (maximum integration time) or 314 (maximum counts)
  • Parameter subID = 0. This means you are changing the value of the parameters rather the min and max allowed values which have different subprocess numbers.
  • Integration times are given in units of 0.1s - 1. For example, 1s == 9 (1s / 0.1s - 1)
• Change back to Nominal Mode.