1. ASPCAP Review Progress report and schedule Software/data status


October 4-5, 2012

2. ASPCAP
pre-processing: read spectra, resample to wavelength grid of library (apVisit only), continuum normalization (with masking), removal of bad points: several versions exist
FERRE: solves for best parameters by searching for minima in multidimensional library: performs search NRUNS times from random starting spots and outputs best. Developed at IAC.
Post-processing: bundles FERRE output into FITS files with parameters, spectra, best-fits, etc. Developed at Uva.
In principle, can do analysis on:
apVisit files: individual visits
apStar files: combined spectra from multiple visits
original thought was to use combined files, which have higher S/N
analysis started with apVisit files, since they were available earlier
have been looking both at individual apVisit results (perhaps misleading, as they are lower S/N that we expect to get eventually) and averages of apVisit results

3. ASPCAP
UVa pipeline developed, but not (quite) implemented for apStar files; also includes many other (untested) hooks for various possibilities of future developments (LSF, multiple elements, etc.), plus includes some “historical” items, so rather complex. Also, “threading” to run all 3 steps seamlessly not quite developed
NMSU pipeline developed to handle apStar or apVisit files with full threading of all steps, some revisions to versioning scheme and input files, overall dramatic simplification
IAC pre-processing developed (qaspcap) to handle apStar or apVisit files, indpendent implementation for testing; not (yet) controlled through SVN
Multiple versions very helpful for detailed comparisons of effects of minor differences in pre-processing, will converge shortly to a scheme:
Continuum normalization (with/without masking) matters
Handling of errors matters

4. Data processing status
All apVisit files processed through UVa pipeline using older library: 7 parameters with older version of line lines, and especially, fitting in PCA space (demonstrated to be less effective)  aspcap_v0.3 (not strictly tagged)
All apVisit files processed at IAC using UVa pre-processing with newer library (6 parameters with vmicro fixed at 2 km/s), flux fitting; bundled into output files at NMSU  aspcap_v0.4 (not strictly tagged)
Test suite of data processed at IAC and NMSU with apStar files: M5, M13, M67 covering a range of metallicities, and Kepler stars
Processing time with 6 parameter fits
at apVisit level, ~700 plates at ~ 1 processor-day per plate
At apStar level, ~ 3x less
With 7 parameter files, several times longer