ALMA SSR Committee Phone Meeting 2003-03-12

Connection Details

• Call date: 2003-03-12 (Wednesday)
• Call time: 15:00 UT
• Duration: 1 hr
• USA Toll Free Number: 888-795-6990
• Toll Number: +1-484-630-4370
• Passcode: 99640
• Leader: Robert Lucas

Attendance

Draft Minutes

1. Subsystem Scientist Activities (all)
   
   
   • Chris Wilson -- Pipeline
     I spent 40 hours over 2.5 weeks participating in the Phase II testing of the AIPS++ IRAM re-use test. I was able to calibrate my data set (CO 2-1 and CO 1-0 data of UCam, given to me by Robert Lucas) successfully as far as I know. I had some difficulties in producing final images. I was able to clean the data, but only using the full inner quarter of each plane rather than using a clean box. This resulted in some rather strange negative residuals. I ran out of time to try to figure out why clean wasn't accepting my mask for the clean boxes and also therefore could not compare my image to those from the CLIC reduction Robert had done.
     
   • John Richer -- Telescope Calibration
     My activity report this month is - nothing.
     Trying to find time to read the 1400 pages of PDR documentation!
     
   • Steve Scott -- Correlator A few small exchanges with Jim Pisano on channel average data and on data blanking.
     
   • Leonardo Testi -- Observing Program Preparation This month I had a fruitful meeting in Edimburgh with Alan Bridger (and with a good fraction of the OT team via telecon): we discussed several existing implementations of correlator setup tools, the simlite requirements draft, and I had a demonstration of the OT prototype and of one of the associated packages (JSky), that is planned to be enhanced and integrated in the OT for the ALMA needs. I also discussed with the team the
     implementation of the ETC (which will not be part of SimLite). I also participated in the AIPS++ IRAM-test Phase II.
     
   • Mel Wright -- Scheduling
     On the scheduling subsystem I've looked at the latest design document again, and talked with Allen to clarify some points.
     
   • Francois Viallefond -- Archive
     none so far
     
   • Jeff Mangum -- Control
     Same report as last time...consumed by ATF issues.
     
     
   • Peter Schilke -- Data Reduction User Interface
     See latest version of the DRUI requirements, with minor changes, basically taking Debra's comments into account. Tim was concerned that the new developments of AIPS++ would have an impact on the DRUI discussion. I think as far as requirements go, there is no change, while of course the implementation of the requirements would be much easier.
     
   • Debra Shepherd -- Off-Line Analysis
     Participated in the ALMA phase II testing of a Plateau de Bure mosaic of a protostellar CO(1-0) outflow and the YSO continuum emission. Successfully reduced and imaged both line and continuum emission. Identified several problems during the imaging process that will need to be addressed in order to efficiently deconvolve millimeter images.
     All problems identified during during the testing are listed at http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/~dshepher/alma/
   
   
   
2. (Informal) news from AIPS++ Technical review (G. Raffi)
   We had an informal oral summary of the AIPS++ Technical review. An executive summary is expected to be made available soon (and at the PDR).
   
   
3. Sim Lite (L. Testi, F. Viallefond)
   Requirements will be modified after RL's comments and will be available soon.
   
   
4. AIPS++/IRAM test (R. Lucas)
   • Phase II actually started at end of January 2003 (Garching week), and was finished March 3rd. Data sets selected were mostly single-field Plateau de Bure projects, plus one mosaic project, giving a fair coverage of instrument capabilities.
   • Testers have been: J. Pety, A. Baker, A. Coulais, F. Gueth, D. Shepherd, L. Testi, C. Wilson. All have experience with millimeter-wave radioastronomy (6 observers, one developer). Four have experience with Plateau de Bure data, three no. All followed the tutorial in Garching. Each tester had about month for installation and data reduction. Actual testing effort was 6 FTE-weeks. The support from AIPS++ was 6 FTE-weeks.
   • All testers succeeded in calibrating the data, and obtained good calibration solutions (with two minor exceptions). Surprisingly many testers did not succeed in obtaining believable images. Checking that the calibration was correct would be desirable then.
   • Users found that the tutorial and cookbook are good and were absolutely needed.
   • Some deficiencies were found in spectral-line imaging; also lack of uv fit tool.
   • Recommendations are made to the Aips++ project, among which:
     • Graphic tools such as msplot are too slow.
     • Make AIPS++ more robust against user input errors; error messages should be more uniformly presented to the user.
     • Testing like this should be repeated at regular intervals with appropriate groups. A test suite should be developed also for automatic testing.
     • Need of intuitive interfaces, intelligent GUIs (sensible defaults based on data properties).
     • All GUIs (e.g. viewer) should have and associated script description (for automatic repeat).
     • More astronomer involvement, in definition, testing and feedback; but also in software development.
     The report written by J. Pety with all the testers is available at: http://iram.fr/~lucas/almassr/aips++reuse-phase2.pdf
     
     
     
   • Meta Data (R. Lucas)
     The draft did not raise many of comments from the group (comments still welcome). It was distributed as is to the PDR panel, and will be discussed at the Software Workers meeting. International units should be used for all quantities.
     
     
   • Date of next phone meeting According to the schedule the following one will be on: 2003, April 09th 15:00 UTSummer time in EU and NA