AIPS:  2004 Quarter 2

Key Developments

1.   Updated the CookBook and created fully cross-linked html and pdf
representations.  This was made possible in part by restoring the AIPS
script that converts help files to html and then improving its
capabilities.

2.   CLCAL, the task that converts solution tables into the full
calibration table, was given a more powerful method to determine
calibrations applying sources only to themselves.  The calibration
table correction task CLCOR was given new options to shift the source
mean rather than apparent coordinate and to apply total atmospheric
delay models.

3.   Source models for four primary flux and/or polarization
calibrators at the three highest VLA frequencies are now included with
the AIPS distribution.  The new task CALRD reads them into a user's
data area and the new verb CALDIR shows what is available.  Work to
extend the selection of models has begun.

4.   A new task called ATMCA was written to use nearly simultaneous
observations of multiple calibrators to determine a more precise
calibration for the target source.  While less efficient in terms of
time on the target source, this method will improve those observations
that are limited by the atmosphere rather than simple signal-to-noise
ratio.

5.   The automatic update scripts (the "midnight job") was improved to
perform several of the chores previously assigned to local AIPS
managers to do by hand.  This includes updating the vocabulary of
known verbs and adverbs, rebuilding the AIPS TV, and rebuilding
certain fundamental control scripts.

6.   A surprisingly powerful verb (SYSTEM) was added to AIPS to allow
users to run non-AIPS commands directly on their computers while
remaining inside AIPS.  Another new verb (RANDOM) to generate random
numbers was written and changes were made in the print tasks to make
it easier to use AIPS print files in other programs.

7.   A new task called FLAGR was created to introduce various methods
of editing data automatically.  It is still in the preliminary testing
stages with more algorithms still to be written.

8.   In the first half of 2004, 141 sites downloaded the 31DEC03
(frozen) version of AIPS and 466 downloaded the 31DEC04 (development)
version.  A total of 471 different sites (separate IP addresses) made
some use of the AIPS cvs facility, either during installation of
31DEC04 or running the "midnight job" to update their copy of 31DEC04.


Goals for the Third Quarter 2004

1.   Continue user support and bug fixes, as the major portion of AIPS 
effort.

2.   Provide support for pipeline data reduction, especially new
automatic editing algorithms.

3.   Add weight-based flagging to be able to use flag tables.

4.   Test and implement binary distributions using the IBM Fortran
compiler for Mac OS/X computers.

5.   Improve atmospheric opacity modeling in VLBI calibration.

6.   Work on solving positional errors in VLBA observations of
satellites, beginning with correcting for gravitational bending in the
Solar system rather than from infinity.

7.   Begin investigations of new/improved imaging algorithms,
including those dealing with spectral index and multiple pointings.

8.   Begin to produce more source models to include with AIPS
distributions.