Astronomical Image Processing System: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 07:28, 30 August 2016

Revision as of 08:24, 30 August 2016

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{{more footnotes|date=March 2014}}

{{Infobox software

| name = AIPS

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==History==

{{refimprove|date=August 2016}}

Development of AIPS started at [[NRAO]] in 1978, two years before the VLA became fully operational. Originally written in [[FORTRAN 66]],<ref>{{cite conference|last1=Wells|first1=Donald|title=NRAO's Astronomical Image Processing System|conference=Data Analysis in Astronomy|date=1985|page=202|publisher=Kluwer}}</ref> AIPS has used [[FORTRAN 77]] since 1989<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Greisen|first1=Eric|editor1-last=Heck|editor1-first=André|title=AIPS, the VLA, and the VLBA|journal=Information Handling in Astronomy - Historical Vistas|page=114|date=2003}}</ref>. The very first AIPS installation was on a [[MODCOMP]] computer, but the package's portability has led to it being installed on many different systems. Binary versions are today available for users of [[Linux]], [[Mac OS]] and [[Solaris (operating system)|Solaris]].<ref name="AIPSFAQ">{{cite web|last1=Greisen|first1=Eric|title=The AIPS FAQ|url=http://www.aips.nrao.edu/aips_faq.html|website=AIPS|publisher=NRAO}}</ref>

At the same time, the capabilities of AIPS have also greatly expanded. Initial usage was focused on the VLA, but it has gone on to be used to reduce data from practically all radio interferometers, including [[MERLIN]] and the [[GMRT]] and, to a lesser extent, the [[Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope|WSRT]] and [[Australia Telescope Compact Array|ATCA]]. The ability to calibrate VLBI data (including [[space VLBI]]) was added in the 1990s, primarily to support operations with the [[Very Long Baseline Array|VLBA]], but in the process becoming the main data-reduction package for the [[European VLBI Network|EVN]] and combined VLBA/EVN observations (Global VLBI). Single-dish support was also added in the 1980s, with particular application to NRAO's [[ARO 12m Radio Telescope|12-m radio telescope]] and the 91-m transit telescope.

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==Primatology==

Although briefly known as RANCID<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Greisen|first1=Eric|editor1-last=Heck|editor1-first=André|title=AIPS, the VLA, and the VLBA|journal=Information Handling in Astronomy - Historical Vistas|datepage=2003111|pagedate=2852003|publisher=Kluwer}}</ref>, the eventual choice of name has led to a preponderance of primate-based humour in and around AIPS. The Cookbook contains "additional recipes", instructions for preparing food and drink which all feature bananas as an ingredient<ref>{{cite techreport |first=Eric|last=Greisen|title=The Creation of AIPS|work=AIPS Memo|issue=100|institution=NRAO|page=14|date=1998}}</ref>. The programmers guide is called Going AIPS, the cover of which features a gorilla clutching a [[Tektronix 4010|Tektronix 4012]] graphics terminal whilst standing upon two [[IBM 3420]] Magnetic Tape Units. Various cover designs of the Cookbook and icons also include images of primates.<ref>{{cite techreport |first=Eric|last=Greisen|title=The Creation of AIPS|work=AIPS Memo|issue=100|institution=NRAO|pages=11-13|date=1998}}</ref>

==References==