Workflow manager requirements at telescope

1. Workflow manager requirements at telescope Simon Casey Michael Lindqvist

2. Telescope operations overview Yes/No Procedure file Verify settings Obtain schedule Drudg schedule Snap file At station e.g.LOFAR transient Generate schedule Monitoring: FS / Telescope Comp. Start schedule on Fieldsystem PC Telescope (receiver,...) Weather Clocks & clock offsets dBBC Phase cal status Data transfer Wind (stow/unstow) Correlator

3. Preparation (software) • Schedule currently pulled by each station via FTP from central ‘vlbeer’ PC • Stations notified by e-mail of new schedule • Will long-term monitoring type observations require a schedule per-se? • Perhaps create selection of fixed modes for automated observations • Automatic generation of a (LOFAR e.g.) transient schedule • Process schedule with Drudg • Currently requires user input to choose options • Input is station-dependant but typically the same every time • Snap and procedure files created • Local-oscillator configuration in procedure files needs verifying

4. Preparation (hardware) • Patch IFs appropriately • Not needed with dBBC • Status of telescope, receiver, rack

5. Execution • ‘Field system’ controls observations • Reads input from procedure and snap files generated by Drudg • Also station procedure file, custom to each station • Takes commands via console input • Communicates with telescope control computers, Mark5s, MarkIV rack • Output recorded to log file

6. Monitoring During observation various parameters need monitoring • Telescope • Data recording/sending • Weather, e.g. cloud cover, precipitation • Some stations have local weather monitoring stations, data can be pulled from these • Otherwise obtain from on-line sources? • Voltages on BBCs should be within certain range • Can be checked visually on BBCs, information also obtainable from FS • Clocks • Field system and formatter clocks should agree with station clock • GPS - formatter clock offset should be relatively stable throughout observation. Obtainable from FS • Phase cal • Check on or off, as experiment requires • Wind speed • Certain wind conditions force telescope to park automatically • Telescope control computer ignores commands from FS to prevent accidental un-parking • Needs manual intervention to decide when calm enough to restart observations