Introduction to EVLA Software Bryan Butler

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR2 EVLA Computing (Terse) History The original EVLA Phase I proposal had only M&C software under direct project control (budgeted), other software was to be “supplied” by the DM Division. After dissolution of the DM Division, the EVLA project took responsibility for all software elements (though post-processing was still somewhat separate in the CASA group). Some project contingency was redirected to support new staff in previously unfunded areas (SSS). New e2e Operations Division will now take responsibility for some common elements (Portal, PST, AAT, Pipelines, post-processing).

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR3 EVLA Computing Organization

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR4 EVLA High Level Design Most major subsystems have a direct counterpart in current VLA software We have a significant amount of experience in what is needed for those subsystems Electronic storage and passage of information between subsystems, and therefore the ability to do much of this automatically, is the new part Subsystems are loosely coupled; information (the models) is stored in databases and accessed independently by the subsystems, or passed via queries

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR5 EVLA High Level Design DATAFLOW

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR6 Observation Preparation Tool (OPT) Astronomer or Staff Project EVLA Observing Heuristics Program Block (Set of Scheduling Blocks for one Program) Proposal Submission Tool (PST) To Observation Scheduling Tool EVLA High Level Design (1) Portal Proposal Handling Tool (PHT) Proposal Authenticated Astronomer or Staff

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR7 EVLA High Level Design (2) Observation Scheduling Tool (OST) Executor Next SB Execution State Equipment State Metadata to DCAF Operator Environment From OPT Results from TelCal Sequence of Configurations Antenna Delays Archive Operator Heuristics Metadata to DCAF To AMCS & CMCS From AMCS & CMCS

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR8 EVLA High Level Design (3) Hardware M&C AMCS CMCS RF EVLA Antennas FOTS Receiver Station, Baseline Boards Lag Frames CBE State Counts Raw Vis Equipment State, Data Addressing Info, Messages, Alerts, etc. From Executor FF To Archive & TelCal To DCAF

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR9 EVLA High Level Design (4) SDM Data Capture And Format (DCAF) From CMCS TelCal SDM From AMCS & CMCS To Executor And Archive To Archive Quick Look Pipeline (QLP) Astronomer or Operator Observation Monitoring Tool (OMT) M&C Archive Portal Authenticated Astronomer or Operator M&C Archive To Archive (?) TelCal Results

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR10 From DCAF Data Post-Processing (DPP) Image Cubes VO Astronomer Default Image Pipeline (DIP) Cubes (?) From CMCS EVLA High Level Design (5) Archive Archive Access Tool (AAT) Astronomer Portal Authenticated Astronomer Reprocessed Proprietary Products Existing Proprietary Products Open Products Open Products Trigger

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR11 The main flow of information (and processes; the “workflow” or “dataflow”) is: Major Elements (“Models”) Proposal Project(s) Program(s)Schedule(s) Commands A Scheduling Block (SB) is an atomic unit of observing. It is made up of a sequence of scans; a scan is made up of source(s), resource(s) (hardware definition - both Front End and Back End), timing information, and a “mode”. The mode defines the subscan(s), which are comprised of a single source, resource, and timing information. Data

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR12 Timescale and Major Releases Now

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR13 Transition Software The Phase I proposal stated that the VLA would continue to operate during EVLA construction: “A key goal for the implementation of the Ultrasensitive Array is to impact as little as possible the scientific viability of the VLA”. Our Visiting and Users Committees have reinforced this point strongly - if the VLA has significant down time (years), we run the risk of shutting off the supply of young astronomers interested in using the EVLA. We therefore need software to operate the combined VLA/EVLA instrument during this transition period, with various combinations of hardware from both. As a side note, we use the transition system software as a testbed for the final EVLA system - as prototypes from which we learn

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR14 Transition Software Broad Requirements The EVLA Monitor and Control system must support simultaneous operation of the old VLA antennas and the EVLA antennas during the transition phase, using the VLA correlator (note that there is no requirement to incorporate VLA antennas into observations using WIDAR) Array down time shall be minimized as much as possible during the transition phase, Transition operations using any part of the VLA shall be possible using VLA OBSERVE files (to maintain backward compatibility with VLA antennas while they exist) From a software resource perspective, transition-specific software (throw-away) code must be minimized

2006Dec05/06EVLA M&C Transition Software CDR15 Transition Software Crude Schedule Support for EVLA antenna hardware development Participation of EVLA antennas in VLA scientific observations The monitor and control of VLA antennas by the EVLA Monitor and Control System The monitor and control of the VLA correlator by the EVLA Monitor and Control System, coupled with the distribution of VLA correlator output within the EVLA Monitor and Control System The formation and writing of VLA format archive records by the EVLA Monitor and Control System A period of parallel operation and testing