AO Users Session at the CfAO 2006 Fall Retreat

This is draft agenda for the AO user session during the CfAO retreat.

Format:

The session will include 3 speakers from UCLA. Note that there will be other speakers earlier in the morning that will talk about AO astronomical science and the current observations, data reduction and analysis challenges.

The AO user session is:

• 1 hour including 3 presentations of 10-15 min + 5 min questions.
• Scheduled for Friday morning 11:00-12:00 after the AO science session.

For any comments and suggestions, please contact David Le Mignant

Preliminary Agenda (last updated 11/07)

• AO imaging and astrometry by Jessica Lu (UCLA):
  • Jessica will share her experience on working with imaging and astrometry with high spatial resolution data for the Galactic Center, including the issues of:
    • Long wave-length imaging (Keck AO L' and Ms field-rotator mirror issues)
    • Plate scale variability
    • Distortion
    • Precision astrometery behind AO... current limits

• Spectral imaging in crowded field: the 2"x3" of the Galactic Center: Tuan Do (UCLA)
  • Tuan will talk about his experience on the data reduction and analysis of stars close to the GC and focus on:
    • What does the spectral information add to the (AO) imaging data for the GC
    • Observing strategy and calibrations requirements for small crowded field
    • Data reduction challenges and new dedicated routines(?)
    • What is the next step?

• High-contrast spectral imaging: the case of GQ Lup: Michael McElwain^? (UCLA)
  • Michael will focus on his work on GQ Lup:
    • OSIRIS pre-planning, observing strategies for high-contrast
    • Calibration requirements
    • Data reduction strategies and issues
    • Sensitivity limit (?)

Background information for the session follows below

We are interested in having an AO users session at the CfAO^? retreat. The goal is to build a stronger community of AO users, by sharing experience and tools, by promoting the discussion of several hot topics of AO data reduction and analysis, by encouraging sub-groups to form and possibly address some of the main issues.

Presenters:

Astronomy researchers who recently published in their science field using AO observations share their experience of working with AO data.

Thoughts:

We are expecting experienced AO users to share their experience and give a 15 min presentation. We are expecting to have a good interactivity between the presenter and the audience.

There is no guidelines for the presentation but we would like the presenter to consider including some of the topics below (if and when it is relevant):

• The 2 min elevator talk where the main science context and questions are well stated.

• Challenges /experience during the pre-observing phase
  • Observing preparation, e.g.
    • PSF / field selection
    • Target SNR assumptions
  • Instrument setup options, e.g.
    • OSIRIS vs NIRC2
    • simulation of SNR / exposure time calculation
    • specific calibration needs
  • Requirements from AO data reduction/analysis to consider at this stage?
  • Gemini/ESO preparation tools vs Keck or Lick

• Challenges / experience during the observations
  • Efficiency issues
  • Observing modes (dithering pattern)
  • On-the-spot decisions and decision process
  • Remote observing / support
  • PSF calibration method
  • Tricks on data recording and observing logs?
  • Tricks for Lp, Ms observations versus shorter wavelength?
  • Photometry calibrations
  • Atmospheric data recording?
  • Observatory specifics
  • Any observing support issues

• Challenges / experience during (basic) data reduction
  • How to estimate the best background
  • Flat-field issues / saturated data / persistence effect?
  • AO high-background issues?
  • Which routines/language did you use?
  • OSIRIS DRP
    • where did you use it?
    • tricks and tips?

• Challenges / experience during AO data analysis
  • Frames selection or sanity check-up?
    • if so, which AO metric did you use: EE, SR, peak SNR
  • Source ID and astrometry
    • which tool did you use
    • accuracy
  • Photometry:
    • which tool did you use
    • accuracy
    • Aperture:
      • parameters: radius, background, SNR vs wavelength
    • PSF fitting:
      • how to choose the PSF and its parameters
    • Other methods
  • Other calibration issues
    • field registration for frame stacking
    • comparison with other images
    • DAR
  • Estimating the method accuracy on the data
    • Monte Carlo simulation?
  • Additional image filtering and deconvolution
    • what/how much is the gain for the analysis
    • tools, accuracy, etc

• Other lessons learned:
  • Instrument support/efficiency feedback to observatory
  • Share one thing that could be easily improved
  • Share one thing that the community could do
  • Other ideas/things you want to share?

Please, whenever possible: name and reference the tools you have used; Are these tools available to the community? Have you made changes to these tools? Are you willing to share some routines or algorithms? Also, please consider visiting the following web page and let us know if you would like to contribute to some of the content: http://www.ucolick.org/~davidlm/aousers/

A list of possible contributors (biaised towards keck AO users..):

• UH
  • M. Liu, D. Looper, K. Allers
  • A. Stockton, E. McGrath

• UC Berkeley:
  • F. Marchis, M. Wong
  • I. de Pater, C. Laver
  • J. Graham, M. Perrin

• UCLA
  • J. Lu, S. Hornstein, A Ghez
  • J. Larkin, S. Wright, M. Barczys
  • M. McElwain, V. Metchev
  • M. Malkan, E. Hicks

• UCSC/CfAO:
  • J. Melbourne, A. Metevier, C. Max, L. Pollack, etc
  • B. Macintosh, C. Marois

• Caltech:
  • M. Brown, E. Schaller
  • R. Ellis, A. Bouchez, M. Britton
  • D. Law, C. Steidel, D. Erb
  • B. Cameron, S. Kulkarni,

• other:
  • D. Davidge, E. Steinbring