Minutes from SSS Mtg 2008-Jul-15
Date: Mon, 21 Jul 2008 16:57:53 -0600 (MDT)
From: Lorant Sjouwerman
To: Brigette Hesman , Frazer Owen ,
Michael Rupen , Emmanuel Momjian ,
Mark Claussen , Bryan Butler ,
Gustaaf Van Moorsel ,
Lorant Sjouwerman
Subject: notes from last SSS mtng
Hi all
I've attached the notes as I recall from last Tuesdays meeting.
I hope I haven't forgotten or misrepresented anything. I also
suggest a way to display/report summary listings from the OPT.
Please review, respond and/or discuss at tomorrows meeting.
Regards,
Loránt Sjouwerman - Scientific Services - lsjouwerman@nrao.edu
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c/o NRAO Array Operations Center Phone: +1-575-835-7332
P.O. Box 0 (1003 Lopezville Rd) Switch: +1-575-835-7000
Socorro NM 87801 Fax: +1-575-835-7027
SSS Mtg Jul 15
BHesman, FOwen, MRupen, EMomjian, MClaussen, BButler, GvMoorsel, LSjouwerman
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Topics in order:
1) Summary listings
2) Doppler tracking
3) Calibrator search
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1) Summary listings
The summary listings of Jobserve were discussed and the general
consensus was to include many of the listings possible in one OPT
listing file, containing blocks of info with one (or two) lines per
scan. One block would summarize all particulars for an observation
(scan name, source, position, velocity, total time on source etc),
another would summarize antenna pointing/move information, and the
last block would summarize mode and frequency information, eg:
(we might want to add/remove columns after reviewing)
---
Observation run block:
Summary line(s) with program code, program block name, scheduling block
name, obs date, start and stop time (in LST and UT), array config, ..
Configs summary from RCT: (only list IF's when they're actually used in the setup)
Item# Configname CorrMode Tint BW-A #chan-A Freq-A Flags-A BW-C #chan-C Freq-C Flags-C + same for B&D
1 .. ..
2 .. ..
(where Flags-A etc are indicators for Hanning/Lags, allow Doppler (whether Freq-A is Rest/Fixed), etc)
Sources summary from SCT:
Item# Scanname Source+Qual+Code Epoch RA+DEC Velocity+Def Config# TotalTime-in-schedule
1 .. ..
2 .. ..
---
Antenna block: This is an example for when a single line gets too
long (>180? char/landscape) to store all information
Scan# Source Scanname StartLST Move-from-last-scan-end Flags StartHA StartAz StartEl StartPA
Configname End LST Dwell-time-for-this-scan Duration End HA End Az End El End PA
1 .. .. ..
.. ..
2 .. .. ..
.. ..
(where Flags are indicators for antenna wrap, obs mode, shadowing, apply pri/sec pointing corrections, etc)
---
Frequency/mode block: (restfrequecy and velocity only when Doppler tracking is applied, only print IF's when used)
Scan# Source Scanname Configname Sky-Freq-A (Restfreq-A Velo-A) Sky-Freq-C (Restfreq-C Velo-C) + same B&D
1 .. .. ..
2 .. .. ..
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2) Doppler tracking
Doppler tracking should be possible for the individual IF-pairs. Also
the place to specify is in the RCT, ie. if the setup is required for
both Doppler tracking and non-Doppler tracking, one would need to
specify two different configurations. The place to specify Doppler in
the RCT, is where the center frequency is set. A button should make
the center frequency specified a fixed sky frequency or a line
restfrequency that is allowed to be Doppler tracked. There should also
be support analog to a FIN-card (ie. do not change anything from
previous scan setup), but this is best placed in the scan properties
in the OPT, not in the RCT.
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3) Calibrator search
The advanced search should be by default for the cone searc - the box
that lets you choose between the three different searches (box, cone,
name) thus should have the cone on top (is in the middle now). Also,
one should be able to select a known source (most likely oune of your
targets specified in one of your catalogs) in this box so that one
does not have to retype the coordinates (possible failure mode). An
extra search for (minimum) calcode, minimum flux, array config, band
(see parameters in http://www.vla.nrao.edu/astro/calib/search/ ) is
needed, with the return page sorted on distance from the search
position. In addition one should be able to set the maximum number of
sources or maximum radius returned (see VLBA calibrator page). It
would be nice to return all possible columns and be able to resort
these columns (and possibly deselect sources) after the search. The
default calibrator search catalog should be the VLA calibrator search,
and an option should be to search all catalogs (with a return column
the name of the catalog in which it was found). Finally it was agreed
on that the name search should implicitly imply a search on a partial
string (ie *string* wildcards and case insensitive) with the option to
include aliases or not (on by default).
The box ranges must be without the last line (with the equal sign)