science operations philip edwards head of science operations 26 may 2010

Science Operations

Philip Edwards

Head of Science Operations

26 May 2010

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

CSIRO. ATUC report May 2010: ATNF Science Operations

2009 Usage Statistics

ATCA(52 weeks)

ATCA(46 weeks)

Parkes Mopra*

Successful astronomy

64% 74% 78% 85%

Maintenance 30% 19% 12% 7%

Equipment failure

3% 4% 2% 2%

Weather 1% 1% 4% 2%

Idle 2% 2% 4% 4%


* For mm season from 17-apr to 11-oct


• TAC met in February• Eight TAC members supported by 16 TAC readers

• Generally working well, further refinements of the new system

• Instructions for large proposals revised

• No proposals for Tidbinbilla for 2010APRS

• Schedules released in early March• Staged release of ATCA schedule to keep pace with CABB

developments

• Difficulties in filling the DA roster for Narrabri

• TOSS, Engineering & ASKAP efforts toward VLBI with ASKAP and Warkworth antennas

• On-going user support for all facilities• Observing support, documentation, calibration, …

Telescope Operations and Science Services

Parkes Observer Feedback


ATCA Observer Feedback



Scientific Computing and Archives

• CABB zoom mode testing is still in full swing and Miriad is updated as needed to process the new data. CABB scheduler allows zoom modes to be selected. The surge in Miriad data processing has also increased the maintenance load on Mark Calabretta as users push Miriad to the limits.

• The last vestiges of VMS are being chased out of Parkes with Simon Hoyle writing a replacement ShowTel.

• Testing for the MoniCA monitor and control update across the sites has now reached Mopra, Parkes will be next, after which the server and all clients will be updated.

• Testing and commissioning of ATOA and OPAL with a new database on new hardware.

• Mirpy package wraps miriad commands into python functions, see http://pypi.python.org/pypi/mirpy/

• ASAP v3.0 released this month

http://pypi.python.org/pypi/mirpy/


• A major security breach was discovered in December, which was addressed by changing passwords of a number of local accounts, and informing visiting observers if there was a possibility that their account at their home institution was also compromised

• A new data processing server, "serpens", was brought into service at Marsfield. This machine has two quad-core Intel Xeon processors and is running a 64-bit version of LINUX allowing the full 16GB of RAM to be used if required.

• A new high-performance server to host the ATOA and OPAL has been purchased, significantly improving performance for these applications with plenty of capacity for growth into the future.

• The group has been involved in discussions with IM&T regarding the deployment of IP Telephony at Marsfield and the proposed deployment at the observatories in the future.

• Remote observing machines ara and norma in Marsfield

Computer Infrastructure

Visitor Services Group

• External shutters on two of the Marsfield Lodge rooms• Marsfield Lodge is booked out from July to mid-August• Parkes has purchased digital alarm clocks• …and an additional microwave to assist with meal re-heating• Parkes tower food supplies have been slightly reduced in

recognition of nut allergies and to reduce waste. A wide variety of snacks are still available.

• Parkes hosted the Teachers Astronomy Workshop last week• A new fridge and freezer have been purchased for Narrabri• Narrabri ET visit in April, Open Day 17th July, Synthesis

Imaging School in September• Food handling course undertaken by VSG staff in April• Visitor Questionnaire form now online under visitor webpage to

submit feedback/suggestions on all three sites


2010 OCTS Call for Proposals

• Requirements for Large Proposals (>400hr) revised• ATCA

• Expect 1M and 64M and 4 zooms per IF from start of semester

• 4M, 16M modes, more zooms per IF, higher time resolution data possible during semester, guided (in part) by proposal pressure

• All 2010APRS proposers contacted, as staged release of current semester schedule will mean full semester not released by June 15 proposal deadline: proposals for 3mm need not resubmit

• L/S upgrade completed early 2011, only 5 receivers until then

• Parkes• 2~4 week shutdown for major overhaul of MCP in early 2011

• Upgraded H-OH performance

• LBA• Possible availability of Warkworth (13/3,20cm) and ASKAP (20cm)

antennas on best-efforts basis



CABB zoom bands


• VNC sessions are used for Mopra, ATCA and LBA observing• VNC pros include

• Allows for seamless handovers between local and remote observers

• Correlator gui accessible to remote observers

• Improved support for remote observers

• VNC cons include• Occasional battles for control of the cursor

• Occasional occurrences of VNC windows freezing or hanging

• Some non-intuitive key sequences required on occasions

• More experience is being gained• Documentation is being improved• Alternatives are being examined

Remote observing

Around the grounds

• Tidbinbilla• 49 hours single-dish host country observing since November 2009

(excluding overheads). Note decreased availability in this period due to long DSS34 maintenance period, and Shinji’s absence

• Mopra• Successful fast-mapping observations

• HOPS completed

• Paper on 12mm & 7mm characterisation submitted to PASA

• Parkes• Successful PULSE@Parkes runs (2hr/month)

• CPSR2 to be decommissioned at end of June

• Pulsar backend characterisation and comparison in progress

• ATCA• NASA recertification

• LBA• Increasingly productive



WVRs

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

• UNSW• Sydney• James Cook• Swinburne• ATNF

• Construction by Astrowave met some delays but delivery of completed units expected by end of June

Skydips at Mopra


Observing time (in hrs) by year and band

2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

20cm 36 37 107 142 58 65

13cm 64 44 54 91 51 11

6cm 22 60 42 14 65 95

3cm 98 192 127 99 226 168

1cm 24 0 12 21 105 57

total 244 333 341 366 505 396

Other issues arising

• Mopra standing wave issue: initial tests in sub-reflector cycling gave promising results, but subsequent tests have muddied the waters.

• ATCA in single dish mode: pilot observations by Andrew Walsh have yielded maser detections and provided a useful data to study use of autocorrelations.

• Mopra webcam: “all-sky camera with active cross to show where telescope is pointing” under consideration

• Single dish polarisation software: Ettore Carretti has written the software and is working on the documentation

• Accepted OPAL abstracts to ADS? Can be done, though abstracts of accepted proposals can already be viewed in OPAL



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]

science operations philip edwards head of science operations 26 may 2010

Documents

atnf science operations

science services slide

atuc report

month slide

atca observer feedback

new database

new hardware

new data processing