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21st June 2005 Observatory meeting room 13.30 - 15:30
Present: MJI, RGM, PSB, DWE, EGS, STH, MR, JRL
Apologies: WJS
Agenda
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1. Actions from last meeting
2. Comments on WFAU minutes
3. Report on UKIRT Board meeting
4. VDMT report
5. Data archives update - UKIRT, WFCAM, AAO, ING
6. Optical processing update - VST surveys news
7. WFCAM telecon and processing update
8. VDFS update
9. AstroGrid liaison update
10. AOB - VISTA data disk space
Minutes
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1. Actions from last meeting
JRL has still to include access to "observing" log index files in the
raw WFCAM archive - ongoing <<<<
MJI are in the process of writing a new report on the detector properties
JRL as they currently are - ongoing <<<<
MR
MJI has produced a colour picture of M51 and sent it to SJW. This may be
used as a PPARC press release
MJI placed the WFAU document on the global calibration of UKIDSS data on
our internal web page
EGS there were not many comments on the above document. MJI said that he
would send in his comments by the end of the week and EGS will then
pass them on <<<<
ALL sent in our monthly reports. It was noted that the next VDMT will be
on 8 July. This will be a face-to-face meeting held in Cambridge. STH
requested that we send in our quarterly reports to him by 1st July. <<<<
JRL has started work on the download side of the AAO archive scripts (see
item 5) - ongoing <<<<
WJS the latest version of the SADT Definition Document has not been
acquired yet - ongoing <<<<
MR renamed the Issue Collector in the Plone system to Reporting Database
EGS
PSB have discussed the responsibilities regarding cass123
STH
RGM distributed the document by Tony Linde on service support for VO to
the relevant people
RGM have not yet had a meeting to discuss what equipment needs to be bought
PSB from the AstroGrid money - see item 9
STH
2. Comments on WFAU minutes
PSB said that the general impression was that problems were arising
but being effectively dealt with, and progress seemed good.
MJI noted that there was a bit of a backlog with the transfer of data to
WFAU. Although the data is ready for transfer, it appears that WFAU have not
copied it yet. Since 1st April, 6 nights have been transfered and 14 are
waiting for transfer. This backlog amounts to about 1.5 Tb (Rice squished).
3. Report on UKIRT Board meeting
MJI reported on the presentation he gave at the UKIRT Board meeting on 26th
May. Although suffering from food poisoning, his presentation went down
well, unlike the stilton from the previous day. The talk was similar to the
presentation given at the WFCAM Technical Meeting/Brainstorming Session we
held on 9th June and gave a general status report on the reductions.
MJI asked the board why single 5s exposure frames were being taken even for
the deeper surveys. He is not convinced that this is the best observing
strategy. DWE was asked to look at the observing efficiency split by
survey in time for the next JAC telecon on Friday evening. <<<<
There then followed a discussion on how efficient are we in processing the
data - can we keep up ? If the CPUs we have available are all used, then
there is no CPU time problem. However, a related issue is that a careful
eye must still be kept on the reductions and this can cause delays. MJI
stressed that the persons on the rota dealing with the processing should
have this task as their top priority and attempt to run the processing PCs
as efficiently as possible.
It was also decided that as a trial there should always be two people
responsible for the reductions at any one time since the task was currently
too much for a single person to easily manage.
4. VDMT report
The last VDMT meeting took place on 3rd June. Preparation for the VDFS UK
Review and the short timescale for this was discussed, but decisions on
this were deferred to the next meeting VDMT. There was some discussion
about the details of the URD and MJI provided some futher feedback on
several items to WJS.
5. Data archives update - UKIRT, WFCAM, AAO, ING
JRL reported that the UKIRT data archive was up and running and taking
requests. JRL was reminded about removing the remnants of the old archive
from the data disks on cass36. <<<<
The WFCAM raw data archive is also up and running. A simple password system
is in place. There will shortly be a link to this from the JAC web page and
the CASU archive web page. Data from the 4th-12th June is being ingested,
MEF'd and verified. Raw data up to 3rd June is in the archive. The last
WFCAM data for this session was taken on 20th June. Currently
we are 2-3 weeks behind the observing with the raw data archive and we
are aiming at being 3-4 weeks behind the observing with the processed data.
All the DVDs have been read and placed online for the AAO archive. 10% of
these were however, unreadable. Replacement data is being obtained over the
Internet. 60-70% of the user interface has been written by JRL.
Reading the DVDs for the ING archive is in progress. However, there are
problems with the DVD quality eg. in the latest batch 4 out of 5 DVDs were
unreadable.
It was noted that the processed WFCAM data will go onto our latest
acquisitions: apm22_a and apm22_b. The data on these will be backed up
on LTO tape.
DWE said that he would update the hardware web page to reflect the latest
changes. <<<<
MJI commented that all of the WFCAM tapes received so far from UKIRT have
been read successfully. This corresponds to 48 tapes and currently
constitutes the CASU raw data archive backup, together with a copy of the
(few) missing files.
6. Optical processing update - VST surveys news
MJI is currently working on processing MegaCam data (with Nicolas Martin)
and Subaru data. A new DLT tape drive has been bought to read the data tapes.
EGS will be working on INT processing of some XMM survey data over the next
few days.
MJI will be attending VST Public Surveys meeting to be held in Garching
this Wednesday and Thursday. This will be a round table discussion of
the successful core and secondary programmes together with a discussion
on data product deliverables. It is possible that a similar procedure will
be adopted for VISTA public survey programmes. MJI will report back on
this at the next CASU meeting. <<<<
7. WFCAM telecon and processing update
The next WFCAM telecon will be held on Friday (24th June) at 9pm.
Various issues need some discussion including clarifying calibration
frame (eg. dome and twilight flats) data taking. <<<<
MJI noted that Andy Adamson had sent an email suggesting that "crud" on the
inside surface of the field lens could be causing the interesting features
we see in the sky correction stages. This would explain why it appears to
vary as a function of telescope attitude (external scattered light).
A question arose about when WFCAM will next be on the telescope and taking
science data. MJI will check the details of the planned schedule at the
telecon. <<<<
There was also some discussion about the date of the next UKIDSS meeting.
RGM said that a recent email from Steve Warren had some information and he
would distribute this. <<<<
MJI said that the WFCAM processed DQC database is being developed and will
be similar to the INT WFC one. Web pages monitoring the progress of the
surveys, QC summaries and overall processing progress will be driven from
this. MR will take over the development of this including scripts
to update web pages showing the progress of the surveys driven from the
WFCAM processed data database.
8. VDFS update
PSB said that there have been a number of email exchanges regarding the
VISTA FITS headers, the issue being the current absence of a set of
VISTA-specific information, which is part of the agreed design, from the
draft VTCS data dictionary. It is hoped that this issue will be resolved
by the time of the release of the upcoming VISTA/VIRCAM simulator package.
WJS had reported an equivalent verbal discussion having taken place.
The conversion of the ETC from Perl to C has been done by PSB.
(see http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/~psb/vista/etc/)
The date of the next VDUC/UKIDSS meeting needs addressing since we need
some input from external users of the processed data in advance of
completing the extra UK URD documentation. <<<<
9. AstroGrid liaison update
Regarding the money from AstroGrid that could be spent on hardware, RGM
said that he needs to get more information on this eg. how firm is the
1st July deadline and what is the amount ? <<<<
RGM said that on 11 July the AstroGrid consortium will release V1.1 of the
software.
STH said that Kona Andrews has not been in touch with him recently so there
have been no new requests. RGM wanted it noted that CASU had complied with
all the requests so far from AstroGrid.
There was then some discussion on what kit the money should be spent on.
The consensus was along the lines of a dual processor PC with a 1-2 Tb RAID
array. This should be within the envelope of the likely funding.
RGM will send Tony Linde PSB's comments on the document covering the
service support for VO. <<<<
MJI said that he had fixed the cass36a disk in response to a request from
GTR. This disk is serving Pleiades data to AstroGrid.
10. AOB - VISTA data disk space
There was some discussion as to how much disc space the VISTA project would
need in the near future and how soon. PSB said that the timescale was
between now and autumn and the amount would probably be around 1 night's
worth ie. 250 Gb. It was decided that this should go initially on apm22_b.
Continuing Actions
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JRL include access to "observing" log index files in raw WFCAM archive
MJI finish off report on the detector properties as they currently are
JRL and illustrate with processing examples
MR
MJI collate comments on the WSA Photometric Recalibration Design Document
EGS and pass them on
JRL finish off download side of AAO archive scripts
WJS acquire the latest version of the SADT Definition Document
New Actions
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ALL send in our quarterly reports to STH by 1st July
DWE write an observing efficiency script (divided into surveys) by
Friday evening
JRL remove the remnants of the old UKIRT data archive from the data discs
on cass36
DWE update the hardware web page to reflect the latest changes
MJI report on VST meeting
MJI raise flatfield (twilight and dome) issues at the next WFCAM telecon
MJI ask about the WFCAM schedule at the next WFCAM telecon
RGM distribute recent email from Steve Warren regarding next UKIDSS meeting
MR take over the development of the WFCAM progress DQC database
MJI discuss the date of the next VDUC/UKIDSS meeting at next VDMT
RGM find out more detail about the AstroGrid hardware money
RGM send PSB's comments on the document covering the service support for
VO to Tony Linde
