CARMA Script Writer

Help File for Script Writer and FAQ for Observing Scripts

INSTRUCTIONS

Selected which array you are using
At minimum, enter track and source information
Click on and to see/hide additional parameters.
Click on "Generate Observing Script" and download script using browser
Edit correlator and tuning configuration in script

What array are you using?

Project information

P.I. Name
Email address(es)		An email will be sent when the track is started and completed (e.g., john@astro.univ.edu,jane@astro.univ.edu)
Project code
Obsblock
Wavelength		Indicate which band you will be observing in.
Semester

Source information

Science target(s)		Comma separated list, maximum 8 characters per source (e.g. HLTau,0420-134)
Right Ascension (HH:MM:SS)		Enter right ascension (J2000) for one of the sources
Declination (DD:MM:SS)		Enter right ascension (J2000) for one of the sources
Velocity (LSR)		km/s; Only LSR is accepted.
Mosaic science target(s)		Indicate if you are mosaicking; provide one entry per science target (e.g. True,False)
Phase calibrator		If blank, then a phase calibrator will be selected. See calibrator list
Minimum flux for phase calibrator		Janskys
Integration time - science target		Integration time in minutes *per pointing* on science targets
Integration time - phase calibrator		Integration time in minutes on phase calibrator

Tuning information

Rest frequency (GHz)		e.g. 115.271 or linefreq('12CO(1-0)')
I.F. frequency (GHz)		Normally valid range is 1-9 GHz, but you may want to use 0 GHz if you have spectral lines in image and signal sidebands
Sideband		Sideband for the first LO

Correlator configuration (specify 8 bands; see correlator configuration tool)

Mosaic parameters

		Enter either a filename containing mosaic offsets or a list of mosaic offsets (e.g. -0.5,0.5, 0.5,-0.5, -0.5,-0.5)
Are offsets units in arcminutes?		False means that the units are fraction of the telescope FWHM.
Number of pointings per cycle		0 implies all mosaic positions are observed in a phase calibrator cycle

Passband parameters

Observe passband calibrator?
Integration time		Integration time in minutes on passband calibator
Minimum brightness		Minimum flux density in Janskys for passband calibrator
Preferred passband calibrators		e.g. 3c273, 3c279

Pointing parameters

Radio pointing interval - night		hours
Radio pointing interval - day		hours
Optical pointing interval		hours
Minimum brightness		Minimum flux density in Janskys for pointing source
Maximum separation		Maximum distance (degrees) from science target for pointing source
Preferred pointing sources		e.g., 3c273,3c279
Point at 3mm?		If true, will tune to 100 GHz for radio pointing. The default is to tune t0 100 GHz for 1-mm tracks, but do not retune for 3-mm tracks.

Flux calibration parameters

Observe primary flux calibrator?
Observe secondary flux calibrator?
Observe primary and secondary calibrators?		False means that only the primary calibrator will be observed, if available.
Integration time		Integration time in minutes to spend on flux calibator
Preferred primary flux calibrators		e.g. Uranus, Neptune
Preferred secondary flux calibrators		e.g. 3c454.3,3c84
Acceptable primary flux calibrators	Jupiter
	Mars
	Mercury
	MWC 349
	Neptune
	Uranus

Last updated: June 15, 2010 by John Carpenter

Project information

P.I. Name
Email address(es)		An email will be sent when the track is started and completed (e.g., john@astro.univ.edu,jane@astro.univ.edu)
Project code
Obsblock
Wavelength		Indicate which band you will be observing in.
Semester

Source information

Science target(s)		Comma separated list, maximum 8 characters per source (e.g. HLTau,0420-134)
Right Ascension (HH:MM:SS)		Enter right ascension (J2000) for one of the sources
Declination (DD:MM:SS)		Enter right ascension (J2000) for one of the sources
Velocity (LSR)		km/s; Only LSR is accepted.
Mosaic science target(s)		Indicate if you are mosaicking; provide one entry per science target (e.g. True,False)
Phase calibrator		If blank, then a phase calibrator will be selected. See calibrator list
Minimum flux for phase calibrator		Janskys
Integration time - science target		Integration time in minutes *per pointing* on science targets
Integration time - phase calibrator		Integration time in minutes on phase calibrator

Mosaic parameters

		Enter either a filename containing mosaic offsets or a list of mosaic offsets (e.g. -0.5,0.5, 0.5,-0.5, -0.5,-0.5)
Are offsets units in arcminutes?		False means that the units are fraction of the telescope FWHM.
Number of pointings per cycle		0 implies all mosaic positions are observed in a phase calibrator cycle

Passband parameters

Observe passband calibrator?
Integration time		Integration time in minutes to spend on passband calibator
Minimum brightness		Minimum flux density in Janskys for passband calibrator
Preferred passband calibrators		e.g. 3c273, 3c279

Last updated: July 14, 2010 by John Carpenter