NRAO
 

TAC Report for Semester 2013A

The Process

The Observatory has completed the Semester 2013A proposal evaluation and time allocation process for the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA)/High Sensitivity Array (HSA), and the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT). A total of 420 proposals were received for the 1 August 2012 submission deadline. In aggregate the proposals covered the broad spectrum of modern research in astronomy and astrophysics. A total of 1415 unique authors submitted proposals to the Observatory. Proposals were evaluated on the basis of scientific merit by eight Science Review Panels (SRPs). The proposals were also reviewed for technical feasibility by NRAO staff. Reviews were completed in October and then cross-reconciled by the Time Allocation Committee (TAC) during its meeting 29-31 October 2012. The TAC consists of the chairs of the SRPs and was charged with recommending a science program for Semester 2013A to the NRAO Director. The recommended program was reviewed and approved on 26 November 2012. A disposition letter was sent to the principal investigator and co-investigators of each proposal on 29 November 2012. A TAC report (this document) containing information for proposers and observers, including statistics and telescope pressure plots, was released the same day. The approved science program will be posted soon. The Observatory welcomes community feedback on its process for proposal evaluation and time allocation. Please provide such feedback via the Proposal Review department of the Observatory's Helpdesk.

Science Scores

Linear-rank science scores are assigned by the SRPs. The Observatory uses a scale from 0 to 10 to score proposals. A science score of 0 corresponds to an outstanding proposal. A science score of 10 corrresponds to a very poor proposal. The quartile boundaries for the science scores are 2.5, 5.0 and 7.5.

Scheduling Priorities

The Observatory's telescopes are predominantly dynamically scheduled.

Guided by the SRP science score and taking into account the time available, the TAC assigns a scheduling priority to each session in each VLA and VLBA proposal. For the VLA and VLBA, possible scheduling priorities are:

A = the observations will almost certainly be scheduled
B = the observations will be scheduled on a best effort basis
C = the observations will be scheduled as filler
N*= the observations will not be scheduled because they were explicitly rejected by the TAC
N = the observations will not be scheduled because they could not fit in the time available
H = not assigned because the proposal is being held for for consideration at a future TAC meeting

For the GBT, the scheduling priorities reflect a combination of the time available and the quartile of the SRP science score. The scheduling priority along with the LST pressure plots should be used to determine the likelihood that your project will be scheduled. For the GBT, possible scheduling priorities are:

A = the observations will almost certainly be scheduled
B = the observations will be scheduled on a best effort basis or were ranked in the 2nd quartile
C = the observations will be scheduled as filler or were ranked in the 3rd quartile
N*= the observations will not be scheduled because they were explicitly rejected by the TAC
N = the observations will not be scheduled because they could not fit in the time available
H = not assigned because the proposal is being held for for consideration at a future TAC meeting

Statistics

The tables below provide statistics by proposal counts and by proposal hours. Entries are binned according to time approved at scheduling priorities A or B, time approved at scheduling priority C only, and no time approved. Entries for the GBT and VLA factor in the use of those telescopes as elements of the HSA. To effectively schedule each NRAO telescope, it is necessary to approve more time than is actually available.

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Pressure Plots

For the GBT, the plots below show the total hours of allocated time for each individual LST hour. The horizontal black line represents the total number of hours available in Semester 2013A for each LST hour. Carryover includes all active projects allocated time that will continue into Semester 2013A and all maintenance time needed for Semester 2013A. The available time and maintenance times are assigned fractionally to each weather category based on historical weather averages for Green Bank (50% poor, 25% good, 25% excellent). The observation frequency of carried over active projects is used to assign the weather category for this part of the carryover.

The GBT has three weather categories: poor, good and excellent. These categories reflect the type of weather needed to successfully carry out a typical observation for a given receiver band. Any observation below 8 GHz is assigned to the poor weather category. Observations between 8-18 GHz and 26-50 GHz is assigned to the good weather category. Observations between 18-26 GHz and above 65 GHz are assigned to the excellent weather category.

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For the VLBA, the plot below shows the pressure on dynamic time for each hour of GST (the approximate LST at the Pt station is shown at the top of the plot), given the time committed before the 1 August 2012 deadline and the time approved for priorities A, B, and C for Semester 2013A. The lines marked "100%" and "70%" refer to percentages of the total calendar time in the semester, after only removing time for weekly and monthly maintenance.

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For the VLA, the pressure on dynamic time as a function of LST is shown in the pressure plots below for the D, DnC and C configurations planned for Semester 2013A. The plots encode pressure by scheduling priority, as well as by frequencies above 10 GHz (light shading) and below 10 GHz (dark shading). The time available per LST hour is shown by the solid black line for all frequencies and by the dashed black line for high frequencies. Engineering and commissioning activities cause the thick black line to be less than the total number of LST days in the configuration. Such activities dominately occur during daytime, causing the black lines to dip for daytime LSTs.

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Observation Preparation

For the GBT, procedures for observation preparation are described at GBT.

For the VLBA, proposals approved for priority A time will be eligible for scheduling during up to two semesters and proposals approved for priority B or C time will be eligible for scheduling during only one semester, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the disposition letter. Those allocated dynamic time should complete their key file preparation well before 1 February 2013, the start of semester 2013A. Procedures for key file preparation are described at VLBA.

For the VLA, proposals approved for priority A, B or C time become ineligible when the associated configuration ends, unless explicitly stated otherwise in the disposition letter. Those allocated dynamic time should begin their scheduling block preparation about two weeks before the planned start of the configuration. Configuration plans are available here. Approved time may be divided into multiple scheduling blocks as appropriate, considering the scheduling priority, observing frequency, LST range suitable for the target(s), and LST pressure. Guidelines for scheduling block durations are available here. Procedures for observation preparation are described at VLA.

Unless stated otherwise, any time allocated is only for the identified proposal, and no modification in the project should be made without obtaining permission from NRAO scheduling staff. To seek permission, submit a ticket to the Proposal Review department of the NRAO Helpdesk.

Page maintained by schedsoc

Modified on Thursday, 29-Nov-2012 14:26:43 MST