AstroGrid Science Workshop and RadioNet/AstroGrid workshop for radio data providers

Oxford w/c 4 December 2006

Registration

Please see AstroGrid Science Workshop and RadioNet^?/AstroGrid workshop for radio data providers main page for details of registration, requirements etc.

Data Provider sessions

Most of the VO/AstroGrid (V) and RadioNet (R) sessions will consist of a 30-45 minute interactive introduction followed by work on the problems posed, mostly in sub-groups. Although the sessions are tailored to radio data providers or those with large amounts of data to process, anyone is welcome to register (subject to space) if they think that they will find them relevant.

Subject to ammendment depending on interests expressed at registration.

F = Fisher Room - plenary sessions where internet access is required
C = Conference Room - second room with internet access available for overspill workgroups
L = Dennis Sciama Lecture Theatre - plenaries where only the presenter needs internet

Acronym soup

AIPS - Astronomical Image Proccessing Software
ALMA - Atacama large Millimetre Array
CASA - Common Astronomy Software Applications
CEA - Common Execution Architecture
DSA - Data Set Access
EVN - Europeal VLBI Network
LOFAR - Low Frequency Array
MERLIN - Multi Element Radio Linked Interferometer Network
NRAO - National Radio Astronomy Observatory (USA)
S?AP - Simple ? Access Protocol (where ? can be Image, Spectral, Line, Time...)
VLBI - Very Long baseline Interferometry
WSRT - Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope

Data processing/providing projects

We will divide into a few groups to work on projects based on data pipelining, archiving and delivering to the user. These should be specific problems which can be tackled using VO and RadioNet components. The idea is that each group will decide on a problem that they would like to work on, and they will be assisted by the tutors after each hands-on introduction and during the project work session. The afternoon session of the last day will then give each workgroup a chance to demonstrate what they have achieved!

These are suggested workgroup topics, please think about what you really want to do.

AgOxfordRadioDec06GroupA

AgOxfordRadioDec06GroupB

AgOxfordRadioDec06GroupC

Additional computing requirements

Radio/Data providers

• If you want to work on radio pipelines and publishing data:
  • To run parselTongue, you should have Python 2.3 or newer and have installed Obit and parselTongue - and AIPS, of course - but please let us know if you have problems and if necessary we will arrange a surgery at the workshop.
    • The parselTongue Cookbook contains tips on installation as well as recipes for using parselTongue.
  • You might find an XML editor (e.g. Oxygen) useful but not essential.
  • Your data should be one or more of the following types:
    • Tabular data in a suitable database (we may be able to help if you have catalogues in ascii, VOTable etc. but please let us know in advance ).
    • Data accessible via a command-line program (e.g. via parselTongue)
    • Collections of images or spectra - depending on existing or constructable interfaces (e.g. via an observing log in a database).
  • The data should reside on disc at your home or another institute (not your laptop).
    • You will need to be able to log in to an external machine and install software from the workshop. We recommend a Linux or Unix machine, with ssh access enabled and a static IP address.
    • The AstroGrid services installed on the machine will need access to ports 80 or 8080, and these will need to be accessible from outside (the public Internet).
    • The data needs to be accessible from the machine you will be using for installing the AstroGrid services.
    • As part of the preparation for the workshop, you will need to install specific versions of Java (5) and Tomcat (5.5.20 or 5.5.21) There are instructions to do this here: tomcat_radionet.txt
  • There is an example of one of the exercises which will make up part of the workshop here: Angular-diameter calculator
  • If you are unable to get access to a suitable machine, the AstroGrid team may be able to provide one. However, numbers are limited, and you will need to contact the workshop organizers in advance.
  • You will need to install software on your laptop and remote machine (if publishing) during the workshop, which means that you may need root access to do this.

Worksheets

• There is an example of one of the exercises which will make up part of the workshop here: Wrapping a command-line application (a simple Python script) for use as a virtual-observatory service Angular-diameter calculator
• Another example: wrapping STILTS (a Java application) to make a table-format converter. Table converter
• JBOTestData - test installations of parseltongue, AIPS and test data for parseltongue testing and publishing user-steered pipelines.
• Registry installation instructions - these assume you have already installed Java and Tomcat: tomcat_radionet.txt
• DSA/catalog workshop installation notes (also available here on the wiki as a backup), and configuration properties for pre-canned FIRST dataset plus DSA/catalog metadoc file for pre-canned FIRST dataset.
• Registry Beta War.

Adql Information Link.

• Some working information on the next Adql release.

-- AnitaRichards - 15 Sep 2006

• AstroGrid_OxfordRadioNetWorkshopODP2.pdf: Registry Presentation pdf

• AstroGrid_OxfordRadioNetWorkshopODP2.odp: Registry Presentation odp

• AstroGrid_OxfordRadioNetWorkshopODP2.ppt: Registry Presentation ppt

• radionet-ws-cea.odp: Application-wrapping presentation (ODP format)

• radionet-ws-cea.pdf: Application-wrapping presentation (PDF format)

• radionet-ws-cea-parseltounge.odp: Presentation on wrapping ParselTounge (ODP format)

• radionet-ws-cea-parseltounge.pdf: Presentation on wrapping ParselTounge (PDF format)

• ALMA-ObsPrep-Oxford-2006-12-08.pdf: ALMA OT Presentation

• ALMA_Science_Archive_Oxford_081206.pdf: ASA presentation (pdf)