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SOFIA Spectrometer Interfaces and Software

SOFIA optics back-calculation

COBRA/SOFIA digital correlator description

A preliminary description of the mechanical and electrical properties and interfaces for the COBRA digital correlator system for SOFIA is available (pdf, December 2003).

Overview of software conceptual layout

Initial software scheme proposal (September 2002)

A proposal for the general software layout and a description of the backend task is here for review and discussion (Version 1, 10 Sept. 2002: pdf, msdoc). Original figures are in AutoCad format (Fig. 1 and Fig. 2).

University of Cologne writeups (January 2003)

• Observing modes and software implementation (pdf)
• Software implementation (pdf)
• Block diagram of the computer layout (ps)

University of Cologne writeups (March 2003)

• Observing modes and software implementation update (pdf)
• NTP synchronization (pdf)
• Block diagram of the computer layout (ps)

Maryland Software Meeting, 20/21 March 2003, and aftermath

• KOSMA talk slides (pdf)
• WASP spectrometer data processing software (postscript).
• A set of data flow diagrams for WASP spectrometer data processing (pdf, ppt).
• Action items (pdf)
• Latest version of "Observing modes and software implementation" (pdf, msword), J. Stutzki et al.
  
• Proposed list of housekeeping parameters for use in the headers (pdf, xls), S. Colgan
• A. Harris' graceless comments (txt)
  

WASP spectrometer data pipeline

References for the spectrometer control, data reduction pipeline, and archiving software:

• Software experts' reference page. Includes installation information, source code documentation, and updates from the nightly builds.
• The dictionary of FITS keywords for the latest generation of WASP spectrometer data acquisition and storage pipeline.  This page also contains links to references defining the FITS standard and related topics.
• Microcontroller commands (pdf,ps). Previous version (wasp219) in pdf, ps. Includes information on hardware synchronization.
• A set of data flow diagrams for WASP spectrometer data processing (pdf, ppt).
• Kevin Rauch and Amar's slides describing the WASP spectrometer data processing software (postscript).
• Rough notes describing a typical chopper wheel calibration cycle as an example of a backend task (text)
• HIFI calibration memo from the ALMA memo series (#442) as a potentially interesting document for CASIMIR (pdf).
• Peter Teuben's real-time Linux reference page.
• Mechanical and electrical interfaces for WASP2 (pdf).

See also the general analog correlator page

KOSMA file_io communication protocol

The file_io protocol is a simple way for different tasks to communicate with each other through exchange files.

• Tarball of the file_io CVS tree including source code, examples, and everything else (from Urs Graf).
• Urs Graf's detailed description of the protocol and its implementation (html)
• Andy Harris' overview summary of the protocol and some of its conventions (pdf)
• Heiko Hafok's summary of the protocol's implementation for the KOSMA telescope (pdf)
• January 2003 examples of files for telscope and observing system communication: tel2obs.cfg and obs2tel.cfg.

Syncronization

These references describe synchronization with SOFIA's chopping secondary mirror.

• Some of Mick Edgar's thoughts on synchronizing to the chopping secondary (text)
• Slides from the presentation describing the chopping secondary performance and tests (pdf)
• Information on the WASP spectrometer hardware synchronization logic, signals, and timing is in this document ( pdf, ps )