Beamformer observation specifics

[mserylak]

This is placeholder for beamformer-related observation aspects:

• noise diode (modes of operations, switching cycles),
• calibrators,
• multiple targets?
• beam shaping,
• quantization settings,
• gain settings,
• how do we specify those (array, single value etc.)?
• drift scans, spider scans, spiral scans, raster scans,
• use cases (how do we observe, observing strategy),

[mserylak]

Had a chat with Willem. It seems that flux calibration is a bit of an unknown for him and to others. I think we should talk with Ben Stappers. He has experience with inferferometry and could give us a helping hand. Pretty much most of the list above is still in works. Will keep thinking.

[rubyvanrooyen]

Config and conversion updates:

• Make pool_resources as a comma separated list
• Add dump_period version for catalogue conversion + test dump_rate to make sure <1
• Add bfb noise diode key to allow switching ND on and off with a pattern per pointing
• Add on_duration to noise diode options for fbf

General comments:

• Need better comments per key and config check script after conversion
• Target naming conventions must be specified by user, will not be handled by script
• Observation types for beamformer fb_fluxcal and fb_polcal
• Need to construct SOP for using beamformer with correlator and telescope setup requirements

instrument:
  pool_resources: ['m011,', 'm022', 'ptuse']
  band: l
  product: c856M4k
  dump_rate: 0.5
noise_diode:
  pattern: all
  on_fraction: -1.0
  cycle_len: 0.1
observation_loop:
  - LST: 0.0-23.9
    target_list:
      - name=1934-638, radec=19:39:25.03 -63:42:45.63, tags=target, duration=120.0, type=drift_scan
      - name=0408-65, radec=04:08:20.38 -65:45:09.1, tags=target, duration=180.0

[rubyvanrooyen]

Issue continued in ska-sa repository https://github.com/ska-sa/astrokat/issues/20

Closing this issue to avoid confusion