AIPS:  2005 Quarter 1

Key Developments

1.   Methods were developed in the previous quarter to allow for
binary distribution of AIPS.  In the first quarter of 2005, 19 sites
downloaded the frozen 31DEC04 version and 76 sites downloaded the
development 31DEC05 version of AIPS using this capability.  So far, a
total of 126 sites have downloaded 31DEC04, 294 sites have downloaded
31DEC05, and 364 sites have used the AIPS cvs code management
facility.  In all, 570 different sites (different IP addresses) appear
in one or more of these lists.

2.   Interactive tasks using Tektronix emulators have proved
unreliable.  Gaussian and baseline fitting tasks XGAUS and XBASL were
revised to function with either the Tektronix emulator or the AIPS TV
device.  All Tektonix emulator functions now have altenative TV
options.

3.   Work on calibration source models was continued.  A C-band (6 cm)
model for 3C48 was added to the AIPS distribution.

4.  The 12-m telescope which used to be run by NRAO is still producing
"on-the-fly" image data.  The AIPS tasks to manage these data were
revised to handle the current data from this telescope, which have the
opposite byte order from the older data, as well as the older data.

5.   Miscellaneous changes included correcting the complex Clean
programs to handle modern file naming conventions, the bandpass
calibration task to handle missing data better, and the calibration
tasks to allow the user more control over robust solution methods.
The memo on astrometric-level calibration with task ATMCA was
released.  The task which translates Clean boxes for changed cell size
and facet location was corrected to handle simple cases and the
DRAWBOX verb was enhanced to plot Clean boxes from such files.


Goals for the Second Quarter 2005

1.   Continue user support and bug fixes, as the major portion of AIPS 
effort.  Add the Intel compiler for Linux.

2.   Add to the task which computes the fluxes of the primary flux
calibration sources new (2004) flux values and interpolation in time
between the tabulated values.   Include additional user control and
have the calibration tasks be more clever in their use of model
images.

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

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