Science Operations Philip Edwards Head of Science Operations 29 October 2009

Science Operations

Philip Edwards

Head of Science Operations

29 October 2009

Telescope OperationsTelescope Operations

& Science Services& Science Services

Computer InfrastructureComputer Infrastructure

Scientific Computing & Scientific Computing & ArchivesArchives

Visitor servicesVisitor services

Receivers, LO & ConversionReceivers, LO & Conversion

Digital & Servo ElectronicsDigital & Servo Electronics

CryogenicsCryogenics

Mechanical, Drives, & Mechanical, Drives, & ElectricalElectrical

Science Science OperationsOperations

Engineering Engineering OperationsOperations

National National Facility Facility

OperationsOperations

ATNF Operations Structure

Douglas Bock new Assistant Director: Operations from January 2010

CSIRO. ATUC report May 2009: ATNF Science Operations

Staff

• Congratulations to Robin Wark and Simon Hoyle, who both celebrate 25 years of service within CSIRO this week!

• And to Ettore Carretti, whose photo of the ATCA graces the cover of the 3rd edition of Burke & Graham-Smith’s “An Introduction to Radio Astronomy”


Science Operations

• Telescope Operations and Science Services• TAC met in June, ATCA schedules for 2009JUL released in June

• New model TAC met in July, • Eight TAC members supported by 16 TAC readers

• Schedules for 2009OCT released September 2nd

• ATCA User Guide overhauled with improved format for web version of ATUG

• Feedback to [email protected]• Or via comment boxes at the bottom of each page• Or via additions to ATUG wiki at http://atug.wikidot.com/

• Parkes User Guide updated and web version reformatted

• LBA webpages updated and Novice’s guide overhauled

mailto:[email protected]


Scientific Computing and Archives

• CSIRO IM&T and ATNF put in a proposal to ANDS (Australian National Data Service) to make Parkes pulsar data available on-line.

• ATOA has been upgraded to improve maintainability, and has also been updated with the latest CABB data after new storage at Marsfield became available. The CABB data rate is currently about 750 GB a month.

• Work has continued on miriad, with updates to mfboot, calred and mfcal to improve functionality for CABB and testing of an updated compiler to take miriad into the future. A new flux density model for the primary calibrator was implemented in the on-line and off-line software – with this model to be updated again in near future

• When the miriad upgrade project started, there was a requirement for “support” of single-dish modes of the ATCA. Is ATUC aware of any concrete needs in this area and if so could those requirements be spelt out in enough detail for the appropriate software changes to be made?

• A new DVD archiving machine has arrived at Parkes, work on the software to bring this into operation has started.


Science Operations

• Computer Infrastructure• An extra 9.5 TB of storage added to ATOA • Decommissioned attila (athena next)• Set up ara and norma as ATCA and Mopra remote observing

machines in Marsfield• New dedicated tape host in Marsfield, dolby• Installed a new windows server in Narrabri• Working with IM&T to keep @atnf.csiro.au email addresses alive,

and ensure email to ATNF distribution lists makes it through the CSIRO email filters

• Visitors Services• Change in Parkes Quarters hours: staff now on site 8:00am to

4:30pm with meals left in the fridge for reheating. • Use of taxis for travel to and from Parkes Observatory• Aeropelican Sydney Narrabri timetable changed Oct 2009


Parkes

• Parkes Open Day July 18/19 a great success• Parkes hosted ATNF Radio-astronomy School Sep 21-25• 10/50 receiver removed for 6 weeks during 2009APR semester

for engineering work• Parkes receiver fleet being reviewed

• MMB not scheduled in 2009OCT (though was requested)

• Old meth used for VLBI at 6.7 GHz

• ATmultiband temporary fix for C-band being investigated

• Shutdown Mon 16 Nov to Fri 27 Nov, primarily to repair leak in azimuth gearbox

• Receiver package vertical cycling being examined for spectral ripple mitigation at 21cm

• New bikes, new bike shelter, new bike helmets!


Old 50cm bandpass


New 50cm bandpass


ATCA

• CABB observing going well• ATCA remote observing using VNC sessions continuing • Simultaneous 6cm AND 3cm possible, but 20cm OR 13cm for now• RFI characterisation continuing• Tsys characterisation across band continuing • ATCA calibration being addressed by C007 and C2050

• C007 continuing monitoring of bright calibrators

• C2050 assessing 5 potential mm flux density calibrators for times when Uranus is not available

• Calibrator database upgrades being planned

• NASA tracking in CABB era successful – progressing towards recertification


CABB zoom bands


CABB zoom modes

• When CABB is fully implemented, up to 16 zoom bands per IF will be available in addition to the 2-GHz spectrum. There will, in time, be four configurations:

• CFB 1M-0.5k: coarse resolution 1 MHz, fine resolution 0.5 kHz,

• CFB 4M-2k: coarse resolution 4 MHz, fine resolution 2 kHz,

• CFB 16M-8k: coarse resolution 16 MHz, fine resolution 8 kHz,

• CFB 64M-32k: coarse resolution 64 MHz, fine resolution 32 kHz

• Text for the Call for Proposals for 2010APR in preparation


WVRs

• Water Vapour Radiometer project funded by LIEF grant administered by UNSW, with contributions from

• UNSW• Sydney• James Cook• Swinburne• ATNF

• Construction by Astrowave has met some delays but delivery expected before end of year


Mopra

• New version of Mopra QRH October 2009• SiO maser database for Mopra pointing at 7-mm & 3-mm updated

October 2009• GUI tool available from Mopra webpage for observers to do quick-

look “point and click” data reduction (thanks to Cormac Purcell).• Beam mapping and efficiency measurements in progress • Online scheduling tools being interfaced with mops_vis • Tests of subreflector cycling to reduce standing wave problems

giving encouraging results• Fast-mapping tests (256ms correlator cycle instead of 2s) also

producing good results • Significant increase in remote observing this year• Large surveys encouraged to use Marsfield remobs facilities and

home institution(s) to help guide SOC design


Tidbinbilla

• Understanding between ATNF and ICTC for continued use of Tidbinbilla facilities for radio astronomy – expected to continue as-is in CASS

• Service observations for single-dish radio astronomy announced in ATNF Call for Proposals.

• ATNF contact, Jimi Green, liaising with CDSCC Radioastronomy Engineer, Shinji Horiuchi.

• About 46 hours of 70m time, over 10 sessions, used for single-dish observations since May 1st.

• A 24 hr Jupiter observing campaign by DSN telescopes will be conducted on November 22nd as part of IYA2009.

• Use of CDSCC facilities for VLBI is continuing.


LBA

• eVLBI workshop organised by EXPReS in Madrid in June. New VDIF data format adopted. Chris Phillips heavily involved.

• Next eVLBI workshop in 2010 will be hosted by Curtin.• EXPReS ended in August. NEXPRES proposal to EC due in

November. Discussions on Australian participation• Fermi source ToO observations successful. ATNF staff included in

paper for publication (arXiv:0910.4540)• July LBA session affected by CABB issues as it was 1st time for

VLBI in the CABB era • Issues resolved in time for September run, which was successful. • All CSIRO data now transferred by ARCS. No disk shipping.

System now operational. Hobart issues with data link...• eVLBI for Cir X-1 over 17 days, every ~2 days – a first for the LBA.

Rescheduled for December.• Demos scheduled in 2009OCT for eResearch and APAN meetings


Other issues

• The possibilities of electronic logs to be explored• Ensuring information is not lost in web upgrades• Striking a balance between announcing the expected

availability of new equipment and putting fully installed, commissioned, characterised, and documented equipment into service

• The siting and establishment of an SOC and links between remote observers and local expertise

• Working with the ASKAP team to ensure a smooth transition to the inclusion of ASKAP within National Facility Operations


Thank youCSIRO/ATNFPhilip EdwardsCSIRO ATNF Head of Science Operations

Email: [email protected]: www.atnf.csiro.au

Contact UsPhone: 1300 363 400 or +61 3 9545 2176

Email: [email protected] Web: www.csiro.au

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

Science Operations Philip Edwards Head of Science Operations 29 October 2009