Related Technical Events

The following events related to RFI 2016 will be held the week before and after the conference for the convenience of participants.

CALIM 2016

SKA Calibration and Imaging Workshop, 2016

CALIM Workshops are meetings to discuss state-of-the-art in interferometric calibration and imaging algorithms/techniques.

Dates : October 9 - 14, 2016
Venue : Pete V. Domenici Science Operations Center (formerly AOC), Socorro, New Mexico, USA
Host : NRAO
Registration : invitation only
Contact E-mail address : calim2016 (at) nrao (dot) edu
Website : https://safe.nrao.edu/wiki/bin/view/Software/Algorithms/CALIM2016

Special session on real-time RFI mitigation implementation

Modern heterogeneous computing, and particularly the combination of FPGAs, high throughput network switches, and GPUs, have allowed current radio astronomy backends to become much more flexible than the previous generation of instruments. These developments also make it much more straightforward to develop, implement and test real-time RFI mitigation strategies in these instruments. One session of the RFI 2016 workshop will be devoted to assessing the current state of the art, and the availability of such algorithms in production backends.

In addition, the Green Bank Observatory (GBO) is interesting in developing such a facility for VEGAS, the facility spectrometer/pulsar backend for the Green Bank Telescope (GBT). This backend, VEGAS, was developed by a collaboration led by Dan Werthimer at UC Berkeley, and is implemented using CASPER hardware and firmware for initial data capture and coarse channelization, and GPUs for fine channelization and subsequent data processing. Other groups may also be pursuing such developments for their own instrumentation. We would be keen to discuss potential designs, in detail, with others who may be interested to collaborate on this project, and to share current ideas and, if feasible, actual implementations. If there is sufficient interest, RFI 2016 will schedule a follow-on day, Friday 21st October, for these discussions. If you would like to participate in such a session, please contact Richard Prestage to express interest, and obtain more details.

Dates : October 21, 2016
Venue : NRAO - Socorro, NM, USA
Host : NRAO Array Operation Center
Registration : ASAP
Contact E-mail address : rprestag (at) nrao (dot) edu
Website : https://safe.nrao.edu/wiki/bin/view/GB/Projects/RtRfiMitigation

Workshop on Phased Array Antenna Modeling and Signal Processing

Software Enabled Radio Astronomy (SERA)

Workshop on Phased Array Antenna Modeling
and Signal Processing

Phased array feeds and aperture arrays are transitioning from research to development for synthesis imaging instruments, Square Kilometre Array (SKA) Pathfinders, and large single-reflector telescopes. To enable students, astronomers, and researchers to access the latest developments in this field, Brigham Young University announces a one-day, hands-on workshop on array antenna modelling and signal processing for astronomical instruments.

Dates : October 24, 2016
Venue : Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA
Host : Brigham Young University
Registration : September 30, 2016
Contact E-mail address : warnick (at) ee (dot) byu (dot) edu
Website : http://sera2016.eventbrite.com
Flyer

Connect with NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."

AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.