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Science Operations

Stay informed on computing infrastructure upgrades, Time Assignment Committee updates, Parkes observations, Visitor Services Group changes, and ATCA advancements. Follow along for the latest developments.

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Science Operations

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  1. Science Operations CSIRO ASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCE Phil Edwards 11 June 2013

  2. Outline • Computing Infrastructure • Time Assignment Committee • Science Operations Centre • Parkes • Visitor Services Group • ATCA • Mopra • Tidbinbilla • Long Baseline Array • ASKAP Science Operations | Page 2

  3. Computing Infrastructure • New wireless network at Marsfield with the  ESSID of "Guest Network". Visitors will need a staff member to create a temporary login name and password. The 'pink cable' wired network for visitors is still in place and requires no username or password for use. • The SSH gateway host venice.atnf.csiro.au has been replaced – contact atnf-ci@atnf.csiro.au if any problems  • The UNIX password-changing system (‘passwd’) on venice has been upgraded. Auto-expiring passwords after 1 year is under consideration. Users can still change their NEXUS domain (Windows) password on venice, using the same 'nexuspasswd' program.  • NRAO has released version 4.1 of their CASA package, which contains  numerous new features that will be useful for processing ATCA data.  The new version is available on ATNF systems. Science Operations | Page 3

  4. Time Assignment Committee • TAC met in February to review proposals for 2013APR • ATCA statistics: • 116 proposals submitted, 11 of which were NAPAs • Time requests ranged from 4 hr to 255 hr, median 41 hr • 62 proposals allocated at least some time (allocations from 5 hr to 243 hr) • All projects with grades of 3.7 or higher were allocated most of their requested time. Most projects with a grade of 3.6 were allocated some of their requested time. Few projects with grades below 3.6 were able to be allocated any time. • Last meeting for Jessica Chapman as TAC Executive Officer! • Deadline for 2013OCT proposals Monday June 17, 5pm AEST • Reload all cover sheets into editor to ensure all questions answered Science Operations | Page 4

  5. Science Operations Centre • First Parkes remote observing (still requiring a person in the tower) in December 2012. • Use of the SOC for ATCA, Mopra and ASKAP observing • Split system air conditioners about to be installed in control rooms • Security card readers to be added to either end of “SOC corridor” • SOC user guide at http://www.atnf.csiro.au/observers/SOC/ • SOC Support from rostered Astro group member, designated “friend”, or operations staff • SOC selectable as site on existing Fault Report form http://www.parkes.atnf.csiro.au/observing/feedback/report.php Science Operations | Page 5

  6. Science Operations

  7. Image submitted for inclusion in 2014 Astronomy Calendar.  Vote at: http://iceinspace-calendar-2014.questionpro.com/ Science Operations | Page 7

  8. Parkes • Update on RAPT project and TPS given by Douglas • Expect MB20, 10/50, and H-OH to be available in 2013OCT, 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. (There was one proposal in this category in 2013APR.) • Changes in OPAL to cover sheets, including addition of designated project expert for each proposal • HIPSR commissioning of wide-band mode well underway; development of narrow-band modes in progress. • Expect Parkes remote observing, beyond the SOC, to require annual re-qualification, as for ATCA Science Operations | Page 8

  9. Visitor Services Group • Parkes Quarters changes • From 1st October 2012 the Parkes Quarters provides accommodation, breakfast and evening meals but no longer provides lunches. • Lunches for observers, Parkes Observatory staff, and other visitors are available from the Dish Café. • From 1st October 2013 the provision of dinners will also cease. • The Quarters will be operated in the same way as the Marsfield Lodge, with cereal, milk, juice and bread provided for breakfasts. • Changes will be made to the kitchen to enable visiting staff to self-cater for lunches and dinners if they wish to -- alternatively, meals can be purchased from the Dish Café.  Science Operations | Page 9

  10. ATCA • All antennas now outfitted with new 4cm-band receivers, replacing the old 6cm/3cm (“C/X”) receivers. • Prototype 4cm band feeds on CA03 and CA05, to extend frequency coverage at top of band to 12 GHz – need to adjust focus on these antennas when moving to or from 4cm • Reprogramming CABB to zoom bands (1MHz or 64MHz) still time consuming and requires expert knowledge. Additional explanation on zoom bands on CABB web page. • “Water Vapour Radiometers for the Australia Telescope Compact Array,” Indermuehle et al. arXiv:1212.6101 • ATCA update emailed to users last month • Plea for users to update their details in OPAL • Regular plea for observers to complete Observer Feedback form Science Operations | Page 10

  11. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCVmacSNfQM Science Operations | Page 11

  12. ATCA remote observing with time Science Operations | Page 12

  13. Qualifying for ATCA remote observing • It is clear the current requirement is 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 Science Operations | Page 13

  14. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlHP9J1UPrs Science Operations | Page 14

  15. Mopra • 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/Adelaide consortium. • Mopra observing started with a block on UNSW/Adelaide time on May 7th. • Schedule for 2013APR semester released May 23rd. ATNF time has been allocated for single dish observing in July, and LBA blocks in June and August. • Next call for Mopra proposals for ATNF time, 2014APR. • “Characterization of the MALT90 Survey and the Mopra Telescope at 90 GHz” PASA, in press (arXiv:1306.0560) Science Operations | Page 15

  16. Tidbinbilla • The 70-m returning to service. • A new K-band system with new ROACH/CASPER board spectrometers being installed. • 70-m L-band narrowband filter replaced to give a 1325-1925 MHz coverage (LCP only). • https://www.narrabri.atnf.csiro.au/cgi-bin/rfidb/search.cgi • http://www.atnf.csiro.au/research/conferences/2013/rfi2013/index.html • 487 hr of Host Country usage from Oct 2011 to Sep 2012. • Recent papers: • “Discovery of four water masers in the Small Magellanic Cloud,” Breen et al. (arXiv:1304.1213) • “Submillimeter H2O Maser in Circinus Galaxy - A New Probe for the Circumnuclear Region of Active Galactic Nuclei,” Hagiwara et al. (arXiv:1305.0076) Science Operations | Page 16

  17. Long Baseline Array • 7-day session in March 2013 (no Mopra…), next session starts this week • 6cm/3cm (“C/X”) band receiver re-installed on Mopra, but 20cm/13cm (“L/S”) receiver currently removed. • L-band tertiary system installation completed at Ceduna • Two LBA ToO observations recently (with subset of LBA) • Occasional out-of-session RadioAstron observations with a subset of LBA • XCube testing for next generation wideband recorder Science Operations | Page 17

  18. ASKAP • Formal transfer of staff from ASKAP project into Operations Theme • Science Operations staff will participate in ASKAP commissioning • Involvement of Science Operations staff with ASKAP scheduling, operations, documentation, etc. over the coming months • Continued use of a single ASKAP antenna in LBA observations at 20cm or 3cm (on non-interference basis) Science Operations | Page 18

  19. Thank you • CASS/ATNF Phil EdwardsHead of Science Operations t +61 2 9372 4717 E philip.edwards@csiro.au w www.atnf.csiro.au • CSIRO ASTRONOMY & SPACE SCIENCE

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