15th July 2003 Present: MJI, STH, JRL, PSB, JMI Apologies: DWE Agenda ------ 1. Actions from previous minutes 2. Comments on recent WFAU mintues 3. Report from end-of-Q2 meeting 4. Q3 deliverable targets 5. Report on: simulations for WPs 9.3-9.6 6. AA's email re: milestones for pipelines 7. AOB Minutes ------- 1. Actions from previous minutes STH has contacted Sandy Leggett to obtain photometric monitoring data but has not heard back yet - will pursue further <<<< DWE are comparing the three software packages for differencing imaging MJI but as this is an active work package, progress on this action JMI should be reported at the monthly progress meeting as an agenda item <<<< STH have investigated SDSS, IRAF and TERAPIX software for generating JMI synthetic data and report on this in item 5. DWE no direct progress on using WFC data to simulate undersampled offset data for interpolation and difference imaging tests but good progress on synthetic data tests removes the urgency PSB the rack is complete, just awaiting (re)delivery of anodized <<<< JRL shelving. JRL needs replacement worktop before moving his equipment MJI to APM building, ongoing liaison to get a date for office <<<< refurbishment. PSB and JRL also need to sort out reboot problems <<<< with sybase server, cass38. PSB also reported that we are still waiting for the new RAID disk system (2.1 Tbytes) order for cass38 archive server to be delivered. JRL has placed "PPT" presentation from Edinburgh meeting on the web STH has updated management WP spreadsheets; risk assessments to include power cuts (downtime and equipment loss) and theft; and updated Gantt charts. He will circulate for comments <<<< ALL did send one line summaries to STH on the progress made in the Q2 Q2 work packages DWE listed all the public documentation in documentation.html and carried out a reorganization. Internal documents currently ok so do not need a similar revamp. It was decided further updates are necessary but as these are now ongoing web maintenance this should be removed as a direct action since this falls under WP 1.9 activities STH emailed SJW to suggest various options for a manual -v- pipeline comparison. RGM suggested FIRES data of Labbe et al., which is now being acquired by STH do do some tests. PSB placed VISTA PDFs (softlinks) in docs subdirectory JRL placed CIRDR documentation (softlinks) in docs subdirectory ALL emailed suggested Q3 deliverables PSB placed VDFS meeting report in docs subdirectory MJI asked about the difference between ESO and UK requirements for VISTA at the recent management meeting and as expected found there are currently no additional UK VISTA requirements over and above the WFCAM ones. Progressing this depends on JPE/WJS updating the science requirements first which will drive any extra requirements for the UK pipeline and archive. PSB put document from the VISTA IR camera development team in docs subdir 2. Comments on recent WFAU minutes The apparent lack of minutes from WFAU to comment on was raised. MJI pointed out that their 11th July meeting had been cancelled due to key absences and that their minutes from 4th July should be available but aren't. MJI will contact JPE or NCH to get a copy. <<<< [NB. Turned out MJI had switched which one was cancelled: the 4th July meeting was cancelled and the minutes from 11th July are now sitting comfortably in their resting place.] 3. Report from end-of-Q2 meeting STH gave a brief report on the meeting and the issues raised, mainly from a management point of view: JPE would like work package time estimates in units of integer staff weeks (SW) for each quarter's set of deliverables eg. 8.1 n weeks, 8.2 m weeks and so on with the proviso that if a quarterly task requires less than 1/2 week the entry is left blank. To do this we need a notional SW allocation per quarter per FTE (11 weeks ?). The rationale for doing this was to be able to weight each task, and its % completion, by the amount of effort expended on it per quarter. JPE will discuss the management reporting with Graham Cameron (Chair of Oversight Committee) to raise this and other issues related to the level of detail required in the quarterly reporting. It seems sensible to wait until we get feedback from this before proceeding with the SW estimation exercise. We need to review our (now updated) risk registers. This item is already actioned above. We also need to re-introduce the VISTA relevance factor to the WP spreadsheets. <<<< JPE asked about a critical path analysis, but given that this is a local software project with no serious upcoming external dependencies (other than the inevitable WFCAM characterisation) it is probably not relevant in this case. The issue of including contingency staff weeks in each quarterly plan, at the level of 4 SW, was raised and agreed, to cover issues like unexpected reviews, presentations, grant applications and so on. The issue of retaining the 2MASS merged information available as part of the calibration, in the catalogue parameters, was raised, but it was decided there was little point, since this information can be readily generated within the science archive and would only complicate reaching agreement on FITS structure of catalogue binary tables. MJI was asked to confirm with NCH that WFAU will indeed test to see if Ultrium-I tapes can be read on Ultrium-II drives, since they (will) have both types of drives on site <<<< MJI pointed out the need to update the overview WP spreadsheet for 2003-2004 in the light of improved resource allocation estimates. <<<< 4. Q3 deliverable targets The provisional plan for Q3 was discussed without any major criticism from within. Everyone was asked to feedback any further comments and/or minor corrections by email. <<<< A few related issues arose leading to actions on: JMI to feedback notes of his attempt at running the INT WFC pipeline to JRL so that he can improve the documentation for this (which is the basis for the WFCAM pipeline) <<<< JRL to package up a night of processed CIRSI data made up to look like WFCAM data. This is needed to do further tests of the pipeline monitoring and calibration scripts. <<<< 5. Report on: simulations for WPs 9.3-9.6 As a reminder these are: generate model simulations of expected data; assess catalogue parameter reliability; intercomparison of catalogue products; completeness and error estimates. JMI reported good progress has been made on the simulations. A quick comparison of 3 options: using SDSS simulations; IRAF artdata; and the Terapix skymaker package (suggested by JPE); revealed that the latter two were very promising. Bertin's Terapix model simulation software was developed by him to test Sextractor, and the Terapix pipeline, so is well potentially suited to the task. JMI has started using skymaker and artdata to generate test images using a range of user-selectable parameters and has written software to compare catalogue output from CASU software and from Sextractor with the model data. He is currently fine tuning the profile generation to be a Moffat with beta=2, the same as used by Mark Casali, but still using UFTI ZPs. MJI will contact Mark (again) to obtain the current best estimates of the WFCAM performance, particularly ZPs and check the rest of the parameters he used in his tests. <<<< Tests are currently only in the J-band, since for model data it is simple in principle to predict performance in other bands given general knowledge of sky levels and ZPs and so on. A detailed report on the results of the simulations is being compiled as an html web page. Some example plots were shown and discussed and the <<<< list of tests discussed and some extra ones added. This will be circulated separately for comments. <<<< 6. AA's email re: milestones for pipelines AA would like us to maintain and update in a publically accessible place, a track record of where we have got to with the summit and Cambridge pipelines. Although reluctant to take on more top level activities, this would be a useful visual measure of progress. After some email discussion with Andy and more discussion during the meeting, and also bearing in mind the need to minimise overheads for this, we decided to create in conjunction with Andy a (reasonably) detailed list of "milestones" that need to be achieved before the pipelines are ready for serious action. JRL will attempt a first iteration of this based on our overall WP breakdown and flag sections where we need more detailed input from JAC. <<<< This will then be placed in a prominent position (eg. tagged off the LHS bookmarks) on our front web page. 7. AOB Attendance at the ADASS meeting in Strasbourg October 12th-15th. It was felt to be a good idea to have a strong CASU presence at this meeting. PSB and JRL have already registered and encouraged MJI to register and to give a presentation. <<<< The AstroWise consortium have just released their Architectural Design Document. Everyone should at least browse their website for this, http://www.astro-wise.org/, and feedback any comments for the next meeting. PSB raised the issue of availability of any template ESO instrument calibration documents. These are not accessible on the ESO web pages so he will contact JPE to see if any are available through that route. <<<< CASU rebirth: Paul Aslin confirmed that PPARC had issued the grant renewal letter (it is now a revisable grant) and the matter is now in the hands of the contracts office of the University (and has been for the last week, so don't hold your breath) Continuing Actions ------------------ STH keep on pursuing Sandy Legget re: photometric monitoring data DWE report on difference imaging test results at next CASU meeting MJI JMI PSB get quotes for replacement desktops for JRL and STH; JRL keep bugging admin about office revamp; MJI figure out where in APM building the rack is going; PSB sort out the reboot problem with sybase server, cass38 JRL STH circulate updated management spreadsheets for comment New Actions ----------- MJI locate the July minutes from WFAU STH re-introduce the VISTA relevance factor MJI update the overview WP spreadsheets for 2003,2004 STH MJI check with NCH about Ultrium I -v- II test ALL feedback corrections/comments on Q3 deliverables JMI to feedback to JRL notes of his attempt at running the INT WFC pipeline JRL to package up a night of processed CIRSI dressed in WFCAM clothing JMI put preliminary simulations report on internal web page MJI update and circulate list of simulation tests currently being done MJI contact Mark Casali to obtain his WFCAM simulation parameters JRL to compile first iteration of pipelines milestones and circulate MJI to register for ADASS PSB to contact JPE re: template ESO instrument calibration documents