- VLASS News:
- Observing and data processing status: Amy Kimball and Mark Lacy
- Single-epoch processing in progress
- Some QL images missing from database (details from ML) - 3.1 QL now done as of 12/7/23 (ML)!
- CIRADA web cutout server down
- ML/AI meeting/talk/webinar (details TBD) series under development that would be focused on applications in support of NRAO interests, including automating VLASS QA, new imaging algorithms (e.g. POLISH), RFI detection, etc.
- Current state of ML/AI efforts related to VLASS:
- NRAO has been focusing on automating QA
- CIRADA has been focusing on ML for artifact recognition, source classification, etc.
- Interesting question: How can ChatGPT support VLASS?
- Real life experience from ML: It provides a useful summary, but makes bogus science claims (e.g. predicting SN). Useful but requires skepticism.
- Ask your kids/students/young people you know how to use chatGPT!
- Brian Kent has experience using ChatGPT to support his work
Events:- Any upcoming events to highlight?
- Science at Low Radio Frequencies conference (Dec 11-15)
- VLASS at AAS 243? (NRAO staff)
- Any input on VLASS from CARTA meeting? (Juergen)
- NRAO visiting committee recommended more outreach to non-radio, non-AGN communities (in this context, noted NOIRLab “Rare Gems in big data” conference, Tucson May 20-23) (ML)
- “ESOGPT” - astronomy conference on how to make use of ChatGPT for science
- SPARCS 2024 meeting (Bologna), abstracts due Jan 17 (https://indico.skatelescope.org/event/1125/ )
- IAU General Assembly (Cape Town, August 2024)
Updates from working groups (please send by email/Slack or add here directly):- Extragalactic - Kate Alexander, Heinz Andernach
- New AGN studies citing VLASS paper including Perger et al.
- Galactic - Laurant Loinard, Joe Callingham
- Transients - Gregg Hallinan, Greg Sivakoff
- Polarization - Jennifer West, Lerato Sebokolodi
- Commensal - Wendy Peters, Chenoa Tremblay
- Data Products - Dillon Dong, Erik Rosolowsky
- Science communication - Brian Kent, Eric Murphy
- EPO - Jacob Noel-Storr, Summer Ash
- Other topics?
- NRAO starting a series of AI/ML meetings primarily focussed on VLASS QA, imaging etc. - worth also having as a topic/WG for SSG? (ML)
VLASS Epoch 4- Live discussion + Q&A on the white paper draft (link)
- Contributions are due on December 15
- What is the optimal timing for VLASS4? Things to consider:
- If the same 32-month cadence as the first 3 VLASS epochs were followed, VLASS4 would run from 10/2025 to 6/2027. There have been some suggestions to delay the start of a 4th epoch to give NRAO a chance to catch-up on processing. (Science) pros/cons?
- Delaying the 4th VLASS epoch could push it into the VLA-ngVLA transition period in which the configuration is fixed (details have not been sorted out for this yet). It could also put VLASS in a position of diminished resources for completion as ngVLA funding/focus ramps up towards the end of the decade.
- If VLASS Epoch 4 adopts the standard 32-month cadence, the implications for processing the SE products from previous epochs should be considered. Although we advocate for an Epoch 4 design that is identical to the successful strategy already employed in Epochs 1-3, we recognize that observation preparation and data processing for an additional epoch would still require additional computational and staffing resources to carry out. Without additional investment in these areas, NRAO may need to re-evaluate its timeline for the production of the SE cube products for Epochs 1-3. If the VLASS single epoch products continue to be delayed, the main area impacted would be polarimetry.
- Although there are compelling applications for the SE cube products (in particular polarimetry), the scientific impact of those data as measured by their citation and publication rate is expected to be modest compared the existing QL Stokes I products.
- Pros/cons of VLASS4 overlap with DSA-2000 (scheduled to begin operations in 2028)?
- Other factors?
- Latest LSST timeline is here: https://www.lsst.org/about/project-status - note that survey start is 4-7 months after first light, which is currently scheduled for 24th Jan 2025 (but of course could slip). DR1 is then 12-14 months after survey start (ML)
- Future VLA configuration scheduling: next config on the schedule is 2025B. VLASS Epoch 4 timing may influence the future configuration schedule.
- Some SSG members concerned about future configurations being too influenced by VLASS. More quantitative info would be helpful (e.g. any objective data, such as citation information or observing time oversubscription rate, on the science impact/demand among different communities?) - GS
- Additional input still needed on:
- TDEs (3.1.1)
- Multimessenger synergy (Section 3.2.4)
- Cadence for the 4th epoch (Section 5)
- “Bonus science” that would be supported, but not uniquely enabled, by a 4th epoch (Section 4)
- A figure (or figures!) clearly motivating the time domain case for a 4th epoch
- Modulation index uncertainty figure? (Dillon)
Future meetings: (subject to change; check your email/Slack for updates)TBD, at 1pm EST / 11am MST / 17:00 UTC- Changes in 2024:
- Decrease frequency of SSG meetings to every other month or quarterly?
- Every-other-month for now, increase cadence as needed (e.g. to support Epoch 3.2)
- Next meeting: early February 2024
- Suggestions or nominations for science/technical talks?
- Additional feedback from the SSG?
- Scheduling, meeting topics
- Feedback to be requested in early January
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Reference material:
- Terms of reference document: pdf
- VLASS Slack workspace and SSG channel (contact Bryan Gaensler)
- Confluence page