14 April 2000 Radio Interferometry Imaging Spring School 25-28 April 2000 Jodrell Bank Observatory Agenda Tuesday 25 April INTRODUCTIONS 12:00 lunch at JBO, registration 14:00 Welcome to JBO pjd 14:15 Practical details amsr/twbm 14:20 Introduction to interferometry pjd 15:20 Book "Intro to Radio Astronomy" - critics wanted fgs 15:25 How to get started (computing demonstration) ajh/stg 16:05 Break, sort into groups of 2/3 for practical computing 16:30 Practical computing workprogram (0) 18:15 Support for EVN Users at JIVE mag 18:30 finish, coaches to dinner and accomodation in Manchester Wednesday 26 April REDUCTION OF PHASE-REFERENCED REAL-TIME CORRELATED CONTINUUM DATA 09:40 Basic UV data examination, calibration, imaging njj/twbm 11:00 break 11:30 Self-cal, polarisation, procedures common to VLBI stg/mag 12:50 lunch in Jodrell Bank Science Centre 14:00 Wide-field imaging mag 14:50 Practical computing workprogram (1) 19:00 dinner in Jodrell Bank Science Centre 20:00 RADIO ASTRONOMY SCIENCE chair jpl HI absorption kaw Novae: interpreting weak, variable structure spse Radio galaxies: what are we looking for kmb 21:30 finish, coaches to accomodation in Manchester Thursday 27 April MORE SPECIALISED DATA REDUCTION - VLBI, LINE etc. 09:40 VLBI techniques rp 10:20 Combining arrays twbm 11:00 break 11:30 Multi-channel imaging (masers, HI) amsr/ap 12:50 lunch in Jodrell Bank Science Centre 14:00 Clear radio skies? rjc 14:30 - 15:30 Advanced topics e.g. high dynamic range mapping, noise-limited observations, correlator requirements twbm/ba/fgs/res/jpl et al. 14:30 Practical computing workprogram (2) and/or (3) 19:00 finish, conference dinner in local pub, coaches to accomodation in Manchester Friday 28 April CHALLENGES 09:40 AIPS++ demonstration rgn 10:10 Faint/variable sources e.g. x-ray counterparts rpf 10:40 High-frequency interferometry jay 11:20 break 11:50 Proposing - and its consequences! MERLIN stg 12:10 VLBI rp 12:50 Radio astronomy in the 2000s pnw 13:30 depart/lunch/ Lifts will be provided to Goostrey station. Key to names ajh Anthony Holloway, JBO AIPS manager amsr Anita Richards, MERLIN staff ap Alan Pedlar, JBO, University of Manchester ba Bryan Anderson, JBO, University of Manchester jay Jeremy Yates, University of Hertfordshire jpl Paddy Leahy, JBO, University of Manchester kaw Karen Wills, University of Sheffield kmb Katherine Blundell, University of Oxford mag Mike Garrett, JIVE, Dwingeloo njj Neal Jackson, JBO, University of Manchester pjd Phil Diamond, Director, MERLIN & VLBI National Facility pnw Peter Wilkinson, JBO, University of Manchester res Ralph Spencer, JBO, University of Manchester rgn Roger Noble, MERLIN staff rjc Jim Cohen, JBO, University of Manchester rp Richard Porcas, EVN, MPIfR rpf Rob Fender, University of Amsterdam spse Stewart Eyres, Liverpool John Moores University stg Simon Garrington, MERLIN staff twbm Tom Muxlow, MERLIN staff ----------------------------------------------------------------- The main talks and data reduction examples are intended to be accessible to beginners, or to provide a 'refresher course' for the more experienced. You can spend the afternoons working through the examples, or experimenting with ways to refine the data reduction and take measurements from the data. If you are already familiar with the basics there is an optional session on Thursday afternoon to discuss more specialised techniques in combining arrays, high dynamic range imaging etc. If you have an interferometry problem not dealt with elsewhere, we will try to cover it here (please give us notice if possible). Computing sessions. Ten or twelve computers will be available. When you arrive you will be asked to chose a badge showing one of 4 categories: I Beginner, interested in spectral line imaging II Some experience, interested in spectral line imaging III Beginner, interested in VLBI IV Some experience, interested in VLBI (see * below if you are interested in line and VLBI!) You will then be asked to form groups of 2 (or possibly 3) according to your category, to work at a single computer. For each computing session, 4-5 tutors will assist the groups with the workprograms. Computing workprograms. (1), (2), & (3) consist of the complete list of commands needed to perform the relevant data reduction, with detailed comments to explain what you are doing. These will start with raw data from the correlator and cover the basic essentials to produce a map as worked examples, using classic AIPS only. There will be separate, optional, appendices summarising more advanced techniques and giving references for further information, eg spectral index mapping, spectral line VLBI. We hope to make the workprograms and data available electronically beforehand, and they will be loaded on the machines when you arrive. Everyone will start with (0) and (1) and then either (2) or (3) according to which category you choose. *If you have time, you can move on to (3) when you have finished (2) or v.v. 0) Logging on, starting AIPS, loading data, housekeeping. 1) Radio continuum mapping using MERLIN full polarisation, phase referenced data. 2) Spectral line mapping using MERLIN phase referenced data. 3) Radio continuum mapping using EVN data.