Requirements for PST, GOST, and the Exposure Calculator for the 2014B proposal deadline (February 1, 2014).

Exposure Calculator:

Critical:

  1. We have to serve up the Exposure Calculator in a different way. Java Web Start was a mess. It would be best if this were turned into a true web application.
  2. Fix bug that reports confusion limit problems at K-band in A-config.
  3. Fix bug where calculator doesn’t use 3-bit sensitivities for narrow bandwidths, even when 3-bit is selected.

Important:

  1. For attached images (GOST or VLA or EVN exposure calculator) we need to verify the image file type.
  2. Need a help tab, with help information.
  3. Need better confusion numbers – we should incorporate Jim Condon’s “universal confusion calculator” with his assistance.
  4. We need a more complex overhead algorithm. 3-bit vs. 8-bit, multi-frequency SBs, length of SB, etc.

To not lose track of:

  1. In P-band, we probably need to reduce the available bandwidth in the C- and D-configurations, since there is more interference on these shorter baselines.
  2. Need better numbers for mosaics.
  3. Need a day/night indicator (both for low and high frequencies).
  4. Need to include atmospheric absorption.
  5. Need to display approximate beam size.
  6. Eventually, we really should incorporate the exposure calculator directly into the PST.

GOST:

Critical:

  1. We have to serve up GOST in a different way. Java Web Start was a mess. It would be best if this were turned into a true web application.
  2. There is a problem when using 1 GHz basebands and using “fill subbands” – it creates 16 128 MHz subbands when it should only create 8.
  3. Need recirculation, to X 4.
  4. Need GOST documentation separate from the tool.

Important:

  1. Need an input for configuration, to make sure that data rates are correct (since integration times vary per configuration).

PST:

Critical:

  1. The printed/printable PDF document has a number of problems, which need to be fixed.
  2. We need many changes to the Technical Justification section:
  3. Under Scheduling (VLA):
  4. Include source elevation
  5. Include cadence needed for monitoring observations
  6. Include required date(s) for coordinated/fixed date observing
  7. Include any other scheduling constraints, including proximity to the Sun
  8. Under Configuration (VLA):
  9. Include source extent and largest angular size to be measured.
  10. Add the following questions for VLA:
  11. Is this mosaicking and if so, pointed or OTF, and why?
  12. Are the data to be combined with those from other configurations or telescopes?
  13. Can the target(s) be self-calibrated?
  14. Is this a polarimetric observation? If so, does it require parallactic angle coverage, or will an unpolarized source be used to determine the D-terms?
  15. Add the following questions for VLBA:
  16. What is the estimated source flux density?
  17. Can the target(s) be self-calibrated?
  18. Please justify the requested bit rate.
  19. For non-imaging experiments, justify the baseline sensitivity required.
  20. Please justify the number of simultaneous fields correlated, if > 100.
  21. For the technical review page, we request that the technical justification section be reproduced, with a simple “OK?” checkbox next to each of the boxes, then the two existing comment boxes (comments to PI, comments to TAC) reproduced next to that. We will provide a mock-up.
  22. For GMVA Resources, add a checkbox for GBT.
  23. For GMVA Resources, disallow the requirement that at least one European station be selected if 7mm Rx is selected.
  24. For VLBA Resources, if DDC-8 is to be supported on Y27, we will have to change some pop-up messages.
  25. Need to solve the DDT/Regular Resources problem.

Important:

  1. Remove “RMS Noise (mJy/beam)” field in VLA sessions. We may want to do this for VLBA as well; this is under discussion.
  2. Update the VLA L-band default frequencies.
  3. Calculate Data Rate/Volume, and put (at least) Volume on cover sheet in top right-hand-side box.

To not lose track of:

  1. It would be nice to get rid of all mention of the Legacy IDs for VLA (VLBA still requires them).
  2. It would be nice to have the most recent proposals listed on top in the PST, rather than the oldest, in the left-hand panel tree view.
  3. We really need to fix sessions. Users are confused by the relationship between sources, resources, and sessions.
  4. It would be nice to automate the min/max LST calculation, given sources in a session. It may not be possible in all cases, but we should do what we can.