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15th July 2003
Present: MJI, STH, JRL, PSB, JMI
Apologies: DWE
Agenda
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1. Actions from previous minutes
2. Comments on recent WFAU mintues
3. Report from end-of-Q2 meeting
4. Q3 deliverable targets
5. Report on: simulations for WPs 9.3-9.6
6. AA's email re: milestones for pipelines
7. AOB
Minutes
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1. Actions from previous minutes
STH has contacted Sandy Leggett to obtain photometric monitoring data
but has not heard back yet - will pursue further <<<<
DWE are comparing the three software packages for differencing imaging
MJI but as this is an active work package, progress on this action
JMI should be reported at the monthly progress meeting as an agenda
item <<<<
STH have investigated SDSS, IRAF and TERAPIX software for generating
JMI synthetic data and report on this in item 5.
DWE no direct progress on using WFC data to simulate undersampled offset
data for interpolation and difference imaging tests but good progress
on synthetic data tests removes the urgency
PSB the rack is complete, just awaiting (re)delivery of anodized <<<<
JRL shelving. JRL needs replacement worktop before moving his equipment
MJI to APM building, ongoing liaison to get a date for office <<<<
refurbishment. PSB and JRL also need to sort out reboot problems <<<<
with sybase server, cass38. PSB also reported that we are still
waiting for the new RAID disk system (2.1 Tbytes) order for cass38
archive server to be delivered.
JRL has placed "PPT" presentation from Edinburgh meeting on the web
STH has updated management WP spreadsheets; risk assessments to include
power cuts (downtime and equipment loss) and theft; and updated
Gantt charts. He will circulate for comments <<<<
ALL did send one line summaries to STH on the progress made in the Q2
Q2 work packages
DWE listed all the public documentation in documentation.html and carried
out a reorganization. Internal documents currently ok so do not need
a similar revamp. It was decided further updates are necessary but as
these are now ongoing web maintenance this should be removed as a
direct action since this falls under WP 1.9 activities
STH emailed SJW to suggest various options for a manual -v- pipeline
comparison. RGM suggested FIRES data of Labbe et al., which is
now being acquired by STH do do some tests.
PSB placed VISTA PDFs (softlinks) in docs subdirectory
JRL placed CIRDR documentation (softlinks) in docs subdirectory
ALL emailed suggested Q3 deliverables
PSB placed VDFS meeting report in docs subdirectory
MJI asked about the difference between ESO and UK requirements for VISTA
at the recent management meeting and as expected found there are
currently no additional UK VISTA requirements over and above the
WFCAM ones. Progressing this depends on JPE/WJS updating the science
requirements first which will drive any extra requirements for the
UK pipeline and archive.
PSB put document from the VISTA IR camera development team in docs subdir
2. Comments on recent WFAU minutes
The apparent lack of minutes from WFAU to comment on was raised. MJI
pointed out that their 11th July meeting had been cancelled due to key
absences and that their minutes from 4th July should be available but
aren't. MJI will contact JPE or NCH to get a copy. <<<<
[NB. Turned out MJI had switched which one was cancelled: the 4th July
meeting was cancelled and the minutes from 11th July are now sitting
comfortably in their resting place.]
3. Report from end-of-Q2 meeting
STH gave a brief report on the meeting and the issues raised, mainly from
a management point of view:
JPE would like work package time estimates in units of integer staff weeks
(SW) for each quarter's set of deliverables eg. 8.1 n weeks, 8.2 m weeks
and so on with the proviso that if a quarterly task requires less than
1/2 week the entry is left blank. To do this we need a notional SW
allocation per quarter per FTE (11 weeks ?). The rationale for doing
this was to be able to weight each task, and its % completion, by the
amount of effort expended on it per quarter.
JPE will discuss the management reporting with Graham Cameron (Chair of
Oversight Committee) to raise this and other issues related to the level
of detail required in the quarterly reporting. It seems sensible to wait
until we get feedback from this before proceeding with the SW estimation
exercise.
We need to review our (now updated) risk registers. This item is already
actioned above.
We also need to re-introduce the VISTA relevance factor to the WP
spreadsheets. <<<<
JPE asked about a critical path analysis, but given that this is a local
software project with no serious upcoming external dependencies (other
than the inevitable WFCAM characterisation) it is probably not relevant
in this case.
The issue of including contingency staff weeks in each quarterly plan,
at the level of 4 SW, was raised and agreed, to cover issues like
unexpected reviews, presentations, grant applications and so on.
The issue of retaining the 2MASS merged information available as part of
the calibration, in the catalogue parameters, was raised, but it was
decided there was little point, since this information can be readily
generated within the science archive and would only complicate reaching
agreement on FITS structure of catalogue binary tables.
MJI was asked to confirm with NCH that WFAU will indeed test to see if
Ultrium-I tapes can be read on Ultrium-II drives, since they (will) have
both types of drives on site <<<<
MJI pointed out the need to update the overview WP spreadsheet for
2003-2004 in the light of improved resource allocation estimates. <<<<
4. Q3 deliverable targets
The provisional plan for Q3 was discussed without any major criticism
from within. Everyone was asked to feedback any further comments and/or
minor corrections by email. <<<<
A few related issues arose leading to actions on:
JMI to feedback notes of his attempt at running the INT WFC pipeline to
JRL so that he can improve the documentation for this (which is the basis
for the WFCAM pipeline) <<<<
JRL to package up a night of processed CIRSI data made up to look
like WFCAM data. This is needed to do further tests of the pipeline
monitoring and calibration scripts. <<<<
5. Report on: simulations for WPs 9.3-9.6
As a reminder these are: generate model simulations of expected data;
assess catalogue parameter reliability; intercomparison of catalogue
products; completeness and error estimates.
JMI reported good progress has been made on the simulations. A quick
comparison of 3 options: using SDSS simulations; IRAF artdata; and the
Terapix skymaker package (suggested by JPE); revealed that the latter two
were very promising. Bertin's Terapix model simulation software was
developed by him to test Sextractor, and the Terapix pipeline, so is well
potentially suited to the task.
JMI has started using skymaker and artdata to generate test images using
a range of user-selectable parameters and has written software to compare
catalogue output from CASU software and from Sextractor with the model
data. He is currently fine tuning the profile generation to be a Moffat
with beta=2, the same as used by Mark Casali, but still using UFTI
ZPs. MJI will contact Mark (again) to obtain the current best estimates
of the WFCAM performance, particularly ZPs and check the rest of the
parameters he used in his tests. <<<<
Tests are currently only in the J-band, since for model data it is simple
in principle to predict performance in other bands given general knowledge
of sky levels and ZPs and so on.
A detailed report on the results of the simulations is being compiled as
an html web page. Some example plots were shown and discussed and the <<<<
list of tests discussed and some extra ones added. This will be
circulated separately for comments. <<<<
6. AA's email re: milestones for pipelines
AA would like us to maintain and update in a publically accessible place,
a track record of where we have got to with the summit and Cambridge
pipelines. Although reluctant to take on more top level activities,
this would be a useful visual measure of progress. After some email
discussion with Andy and more discussion during the meeting, and also
bearing in mind the need to minimise overheads for this, we decided to
create in conjunction with Andy a (reasonably) detailed list of
"milestones" that need to be achieved before the pipelines are ready for
serious action. JRL will attempt a first iteration of this based on our
overall WP breakdown and flag sections where we need more detailed input
from JAC. <<<<
This will then be placed in a prominent position (eg. tagged off the
LHS bookmarks) on our front web page.
7. AOB
Attendance at the ADASS meeting in Strasbourg October 12th-15th.
It was felt to be a good idea to have a strong CASU presence at this
meeting. PSB and JRL have already registered and encouraged MJI to
register and to give a presentation. <<<<
The AstroWise consortium have just released their Architectural Design
Document. Everyone should at least browse their website for this,
http://www.astro-wise.org/, and feedback any comments for the next
meeting.
PSB raised the issue of availability of any template ESO instrument
calibration documents. These are not accessible on the ESO web pages
so he will contact JPE to see if any are available through that route. <<<<
CASU rebirth: Paul Aslin confirmed that PPARC had issued the grant renewal
letter (it is now a revisable grant) and the matter is now in the hands
of the contracts office of the University (and has been for the last week,
so don't hold your breath)
Continuing Actions
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STH keep on pursuing Sandy Legget re: photometric monitoring data
DWE report on difference imaging test results at next CASU meeting
MJI
JMI
PSB get quotes for replacement desktops for JRL and STH;
JRL keep bugging admin about office revamp;
MJI figure out where in APM building the rack is going;
PSB sort out the reboot problem with sybase server, cass38
JRL
STH circulate updated management spreadsheets for comment
New Actions
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MJI locate the July minutes from WFAU
STH re-introduce the VISTA relevance factor
MJI update the overview WP spreadsheets for 2003,2004
STH
MJI check with NCH about Ultrium I -v- II test
ALL feedback corrections/comments on Q3 deliverables
JMI to feedback to JRL notes of his attempt at running the INT WFC pipeline
JRL to package up a night of processed CIRSI dressed in WFCAM clothing
JMI put preliminary simulations report on internal web page
MJI update and circulate list of simulation tests currently being done
MJI contact Mark Casali to obtain his WFCAM simulation parameters
JRL to compile first iteration of pipelines milestones and circulate
MJI to register for ADASS
PSB to contact JPE re: template ESO instrument calibration documents
