bimafiller

The bimafiller is currently a standalone AIPS++ program that converts a BIMA miriad dataset into an AIPS++ MeasurementSet (MS).

SYNOPSIS

    bimafiller vis=mir_data ms=MS_name [debug=0]

KEYWORDS

Command line options are using the AIPS++ keyword=value syntax (see Inputs::). Some keywords below are still suggested enhancements, feel free to comment.

vis=

Name of an input miriad visibility dataset (a directory). Default: m51.test

ms=

Name of the output measurement set (a directory). By default the root filename of the input dataset is used, and the extension is replaced with "ms". Default: m51.test.ms

UseTSM=

Use Tiled Storage Manager? Is set, certain columns will be stored by the Tiled Storage Manager. Default: true

line=

Select narrow lines for the windows given. These must be valid numbers between 1 and nspect. By default all will be choosen.

win=

Select window averages for the windows given. These must be valid numbers between 1 and nspect. By default all will be choosen.

wide=

Select wide band averages. Normally BIMA has 2 wideband channels, USB and LSB. By default all will be choosen.

debug=

This keyword displays more output the higher the value. Default: 0.

Current Limitations

Since the generic miriad dataset is very rich in its possibilities of storing visibilities and UV variables, a number of restrictions exist, some of which will disappear with time as the need for certain features comes up. The program should detect any violations of these restrictions, and warn you about them, or cause the program to abort. However, some of them will be silently enforced.

there is little selection of data, and no options to apply the various miriad calibration tables. Miriad preprocessing is supposed to have done that (see e.g. UVCAT, UVAVER), and most of the restrictions below mean you can avoid them by running UVCAT first.
can only handle one polarization. (pol, npol=1)
treats everything as one source (source) [will disappear in the next version]
autocorrellation may disappear in some next version
cannot handle changes in the following variables:
- correlator setup
has not been tested on ATCA data

CPU, DISK SPACE and MEMORY USAGE

CPU usage : on a P600 it converts at about a rate of 3MB/sec.

Disk usage: The old MS1 used to occupy about 3 times that of a miriad dataset. For MS2 format it appears to be about a factor of 2.

Memory usage:

VERSIONS

17-feb-97 initial version 1 (PJT)
18-mar-97 released version 1 (PJT)
8-jun-00 FIELD and SPECTRUM_TABLE table updated (PJT)
10-jan-01 conversion to MS2 done

Last modification: 22-jan-01 (PJT)