Science OperationsPhil Edwards 30 October 2012

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CSIRO ASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCE

• Visitor Services Group• Scientific Computing & Archives• Computing Infrastructure• Science Operations Centre• ATCA• Parkes• Mopra• Long Baseline Array• Tidbinbilla

Outline

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• Parkes Quarters changes• From 1st October 2012 the Parkes Quarters provides accommodation,

breakfast and evening meals but will no longer provide lunches. • Lunches for observers, Parkes Observatory staff, and other visitors will be

available from the Dish Café at reasonable rates and payable to the Dish Café.

• A menu from the Dish Café is provided for visitors and information on delivery and opening times is clearly posted

• The new Quarters daily rate of $77.30 per day will be for accommodation, breakfast and dinner only and effective from October 1st

• Active engagement with SOC work at Marsfield• Marsfield VSG group have moved into their new office

Visitor Services Group

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• Science Computing & Archives will be merged with the ASKAP computing group to form a new Software and Computing stream. Stream leader to be appointed in the near future.•Parkes: RAPT work to be described by Dave McConnell • ATCA: • Recent miriad changes outlined at http://atcaforum.atnf.csiro.au• New (user friendly) ATCA sensitivity calculator includes 4cm receivers• New multi-zoom 64MHz mode included in CABB scheduler

• Loss of glish expertise and impact on GUIs• CABB data in CASA

Scientific Computing & Archives

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• ASKAP Opening Oct 5th • MRO preparations• Geraldton CI member to be hired• Replace hydra, crux, kaputar, pictor• SOC set-up for ASKAP, Parkes…• …relocation of room 23 ATCA and Mopra stations to SOC• Video screen installations in SOC interaction area

Computing Infrastructure

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ATUC

• Multi-zoom 64 MHz CABB mode available from beginning of 2012OCT• Many recent improvements to CABB usability • WVRs installed – commissioning and integration continuing • ATCA update emailed to users last week • Version 2 of ATCA schedule released• Plea for observers to complete Observer Feedback form

• RFI feedback form link added to ATCA webpages • Record number of NAPA proposals for 2012OCT• CASS Radio School successfully hosted by ATCA

ATCA

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ATCA proposal demand 2013OCT

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• A total of six receiver change days scheduled in 2012OCT.• Start: 10/50• 24-oct: H-OH and 13mm• 12-nov: H-OH and S/X• 16-nov: 10/50• 11-feb: H-OH and S/X• 15-mar: GLLO and OldMeth (tbc)• 21-mar: 10/50

• Expect MB20, 10/50, and H-OH to be available in 2013APR, with the availability of other receivers driven by proposal pressure. Highly graded proposals requesting a receiver that is not installed in the focus cabin in 2013 APR don’t need to be resubmitted

• HIPSR commissioning underway

• AFB and MBCorr decommissioning during 2012OCT

Parkes

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• Funding has been secured to operate the Mopra Telescope for three years, commencing in October 2012. Mopra operations will initially be supported by NAOJ and UNSW consortium• ATNF time in October used for unfinished large projects with high TAC grades: “green time” requests invited for other LST ranges• NAOJ and UNSW consortium provided with list of proprietary observations to avoid duplication of these projects• Call for proposals for 2013APR to include proposals for ATNF time, outside 11-22 LST, for experienced teams• Photogrammetry of Mopra dish last week• 7mm receiver operational again!

Mopra

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SciOps

arXiv:1205.6466

• Back to normal number of LBA proposals in 2012OCT• Mopra 6cm/3cm (“C/X”) band receiver removed in May 2012 to enable ATCA 4cm upgrade to proceed with 6 antennas available at all times: expect C/X receiver back on Mopra for March LBA session.• Move from 3 x 1-week blocks per year to more frequent, shorter sessions (allowing closer spacing for multi-epoch monitoring) undergoing change. Driven to four main sessions a year (with possibility of 1.4/1.6GHz only sessions at other times).• RadioAstron observations at 4.8 or 22 GHz with Parkes constrained by receiver availability. Tracking station constraints mean co-observations with LBA are typically ~1 hr. • RadioAstron AO-1 deadline 01-feb-2013

Long Baseline Array

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• The 70-m will be unavailable for 7 months from the middle of November 2012 due to maintenance downtime• RadioAstron Early Science Program making use of 70-m availability• A new 4-channel K-band receiver and down-converter system has been installed on the 70m. This system supports two simultaneous beams per polarisation (four beams in total) between 21 GHz and 25 GHz. • Tidbinbilla 34m antennas able to be used at 2.3, 8.4, 32 GHz for VLBI observations

Tidbinbilla

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Thank youCASS/ATNFPhil EdwardsHead of Science Operationst +61 2 9372 4717E philip.edwards@csiro.auw www.atnf.csiro.au

CSIRO ASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCE

• It is clear the current requirements are not sufficient, which has led to the suggestion of a points-based qualification system. An example might be that 100 points are needed to qualify, and:• Been DA in the last 6 months: +100 points• Been DA 6 – 12 months ago: +80 points• Observed from Narrabri in last 6 months: +30 points per observation• Observed from Narrabri in last 6 – 12 months: +20 points per observation• Observed remotely in last 6 months: +10 points per observation• Observed remotely in last 6 – 12 months: + 5 points per observation• Completed observer feedback form: +10 points • Submitted (non-trivial) Fault Report: +10 points • Contributed to ATCA forum: +10 points • Submitted rem obs request < 2 weeks in advance: - 10 points

Qualifying for ATCA remote observing

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