Data Analysis Plan GBT IDL Workshop October 15, 2004

Meeting Outline Morning activities –Generate a list of discussion items Demonstrations Lunch Discussion forum Dinner Summary

Science Drivers Interactive package for basic single-dish analysis Available at NRAO and home institutions Import/Export data formats Well-documented data model (data structure and data flow) Real-time data checks / post-processing Handle our diverse observing modes, frequencies, backends, …. Handle new instruments and analysis techniques –Pipelining, cameras, etc.

Expected Customers Black belts –Unique experiments –Explore every step in the analysis –Can develop new algorithms –Can share these algorithms Novices –Use canned procedures developed by others –Pipelining

Immediate Goals of the Data- Handling Project Interactive package for BASIC analysis Leverage observer’s past experiences Allow observer’s to contribute to the development of enhancements Sharing of contributions Short time scale for a significant improvement Limited goals for what NRAO contributes Rely on other systems for other analysis needs

Options Resurrect UniPOPS (argh!) Reinvest in AIPS++/DISH or AIPS Go with a community standard –Invest in CLASS, IRAF, … –Invest in a commercial package IDL MATLAB Mathematica

Why IDL? – Resources/Familiarity IDL brings… –Large user base –Extensive built-in libraries, algorithms, graphics –Rapid development environment External users –Tom Bania – 3He package –Robishaw – Polarization –Kondratko – H 2 O Spectroscopy Other observatories –FUSE, Spitzer, …. –IDL Astronomy User’s Library –Arecibo’s IDL routines Internal resources –Langston – IDL Real-Time data display –O’Neil – IDL experience

Why a UniPOPS philosophy? Familiarity Simple syntax –Interactive, efficient, …. Emphasizes a ‘toolbox’ of single-purpose analysis steps –Exploratory analysis, new algorithms Scripting for generating complex analysis from these simple commands –User extendable Data export to move data to other systems for more complicated analysis Online and Offline analysis

Extent of the IDL Project Won’t Include (initially): –Advanced imaging –Pulsar, Radar, …. –Adding VLA data to GBT data –Bolometer cameras –Pipelining –…. Will include: Infrastructure First priorities –Data Model –I/O, Data Base –Toolbox of commands available from two different user levels

Available Resources & Timeline Details from Nicole

IDL – An integral part of the observatory’s plans CLASS / AIPS –FITS for data import/export ALMA –Resource sharing -- Significant common infrastructure E2E –Data pipelining using AIPS++ technology –Learn from our IDL experiences and IDL Data models. OBIT –Prototype analysis for the Penn Array AIPS++/DISH –Based on appropriate data model from IDL experience, OBIT, and ALMA –Python instead of GLISH, CASA –Combining VLA data with GBT data –Advanced GBT imaging