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Workshop

The third VLA Data Reduction Workshop will take place from 8 - 12 April, 2013 at the Pete V. Domenici Science Operations Center in Socorro, NM.  The aim of this workshop is to assist observers with the challenges posed by the vastly increased flexibility and complexity of the VLA. The focus will be on reducing data taken in the wide-band WIDAR modes available to the observing community since September 30, 2011.

During the workshop observers will be able to reduce their own data using hardware provided by NRAO and with NRAO staff experts present for consultation.  There will also be presentations by local staff covering CASA and the very latest developments in data reduction techniques.

This is an advanced workshop, and unlike our Synthesis Imaging summer schools not intended for those who are new to radio interferometry.  Prior experience with AIPS, CASA, or MIRIAD is required.  As we will be using CASA as our main data reduction package, a working knowledge of it would be helpful; we strongly recommend those new to CASA to go through one or more of our tutorials prior to attending the workshop.

There will be a total of 30 desktops.  In a few cases two people working on the same data may share a machine which can be requested during registration.  If we should reach the maximum number of participants we can handle we will start a waiting list.

Webcast

It is our intention to record the presentations.  During recording, a web stream will be available at mms://cod.nrao.edu:1800. This is viewable with Windows Media Player or any media player compatible with the Windows Media Player format. This web stream is only available while the recording is ongoing. If you attempt to connect before the recording has started an error message will result.

Data

We will load one set of data of your choice prior to your arrival.  To prevent overloading our system there is an upper size limit of 100 GB.  Once you have completed one set of data you back up the results and clear them, upon which you can download a second dataset.  You back up your data in one of two ways:

• ftp them to your home institute (caution: this may take long)
• purchase one of our 2 TB disks for $125.  We will put your data on disk for you, after which you can take the disk or we we will ship it for you.  For reasons of compatibility we cannot accept any storage device you bring with you

After the end of the workshop we will leave the data on local disks for another 2 weeks.  You can download those data from your home institute or purchase another disk which we will ship free of charge.

Logistics

There is no registration fee, and we provide no transportation to Socorro.  For directions, please refer to our Directions and Maps page.  The most common way to get from Albuquerque airport to Socorro is either by rental car, or by calling Socorro Taxi (1-800-991-4276) at least 24 hours ahead of time.  Finally, there is the New Mexico Railrunner (nmrailrunner.com), but it does not run frequently, and does not go further then Belen (half-way Albuquerque and Socorro).

Questions? E-mail us at evladrworkshop@nrao.edu

The next Synthesis Imaging Workshop will take place in 2014

Questions? E-mail us at evladrworkshop@nrao.edu