Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-20 Software Development for ALMA Robert LUCAS IRAM Grenoble France

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-202 Science Requirements Science Software Requirements Committee work –Started in 1999, relatively early in the project –About 15 scientists from Europe, US, Japan –General requirements ready in 2002 –More detailed requirements by subsystem –Now one scientist attached to each subsystem to follow up the development work, answer questions, participate in testing.

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-203 Main Goals Motivated by Science Requirements Deal with a large variety of projects –Observing should be relatively easy at mm wavelengths, site is good –Much more difficult in sub-mm range High degree of automation needed to guarantee observing efficiency at high data rate Deliver data of controlled quality Use should be easy for the non-specialist (unique instrument).

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-204 Proposal/Project Preparation Uses an Observing Tool to prepare proposal submission and actual project editing This tools knows the standard observer modes Has novice and expert modes Translates astronomical information into observing parameters Provides reasonable defaults Has components for observation setup, spectral setup, sensitivity calculation, … It prepares the scheduling blocks, and informs the user of specific resources needed (data rate, data processing).

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-205 Scheduling Dynamic, flexible scheduling is an essential feature to allow optimized use of variable site conditions Use both stringency and scientific rating stringency = ratio of total available time to time during which a given programme could be scheduled Project split in scheduling blocks –They cannot be split –They may be logically linked for complex projects

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-206 Observations Control command language –simple, easily editable, programmable –control all basic hardware components –provides a way to develop the basic Observer modes and the Observatory modes Operator interface –Used to control the actual operation of hardware and of the software subsystems. Staff Astronomer Interface –Used to perform quality control

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-207 Data Acquisition and Archiving A Science Data Model has been developed to handle the science data and associated observing parameters, and auxiliary data Should be well suited for archiving and archival use of science data Data written in real time into this model. Mainly developed here at Paris Observatory. (f. Viallefond, M. Caillat, …)

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-208 On-Line Calibration Needed in quasi-real time to ensure required data quality: –pointing, focus, delay measurements, … –Perform atmosphere calibration using state-of-the-art atmosphere model, optimize use of radiometric phase correction –Monitor atmosphere phase quality on phase calibrators and amplitude calibrators –Feedback to observing process and to dynamic scheduling Developped at IRAM (Grenoble)

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-209 Quick Look Display observing parameters and monitor on- line calibration Provide feedback to operators and staff astronomers on the site on the quality of observations, of calibration, of data Visual check of the data acquired itself (e.g. display spectra, raw image)

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-2010 Science Pipeline Run at the end of the observing Perform data reduction in a quasi-automated way for most projects An essential input for quality control by staff astronomers Will need to be tested by the staff during the first years of science operation Seen as an essential element to make ALMA well open to a wide community

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-2011 Off-Line Data Reduction Based on AIPS++ which is now essentially focused on ALMA and EVLA. Development is regularly tested by would-be users and benchmarked against data processing requirements.

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-2012 Development Process Use of ALMA Common Software (ACS) –‘Middle-ware’ layer that hides the underlying hardware / operating system –Ensures distributed software deployment: (CORBA based, for the specialists) Common rules of software engineering Regular releases (6-month); but frequent integrations (1-month) Enforced testing policy

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-2013 Organisation Computing IPT led by B. Glendenning, G. Raffi, K. Tatematsu Subsystems: –Software subsystems: Prop. Prep.(UK), Scheduling(NRAO), Control(NRAO), Correlator(NRAO), Telescope Calibration(IRAM), Pipeline(NRAO), Off-Line(NRAO), Archive(ESO), Executive(ESO), ACS(ESO), Operations(ESO), ACA(Japan) –Other: SSR (IRAM), High Level Arch.(ESO), Software Eng.(ESO), Int. and Testing(ESO) Many phone meetings and travel required …

Hunt for Molecules, Paris, 2005-Sep-2014 Development Status In parallel: support for antenna evaluation, laboratory integration with prototype system (control/correlator) Design, prototyping of the final end-to-end system Integration of the whole system very early (R1,R2) but with limited functionality Release R3 for 2005 Oct 01, emphasis of simulation of hardware Support ATF (VLA test site) operation early during On-site commissioning and science verification in 2007/2008