Subject: Draft agenda and travel info for single-dish meeting in Green Bank

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 4 Oct 89 13:09:29 EDT

Single-Dish FITS Standards Workshop Green Bank W. Va, 31 October-1 November 1989

Dear Colleague:

  Thank you for the interest you have shown in establishing a standard data
exchange format for single-dish radioastronomy.  With interest and enthusiasm,
we will create one!
  This message contains travel information and a reply form which you can return
via post or EMail. We are also sending by conventional mail a package which is
similar to this one but with more complete travel information (and a map).
  The last portion of this mail message contains a draft agenda for the
meeting.  You will notice that this agenda begins with a formal schedule of
presentations concerning various aspects of FITS, but soon becomes only an
outline of steps which we might take to design and implement the new standard.
Any suggestions you might have regarding the format of the meeting are welcome.
If you have (even preliminary) ideas concerning data exchange, please let us
hear from you; the floor will be open in what we hope will be a free and
spirited exchange of such ideas.  If you wish to make a formal presentation,
"we" would be glad to place you on the program.
  On the second day of the meeting, we have placed on the agenda a rather
general item concerning single-dish software.  If the previous discussions
fill the available time, this item will be sacrificed.  However, if time is
available, it would be informative for the group to hear about recent
developments at your telescope.

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      INFORMATION REGARDING TRAVEL TO GREEN BANK (AND/OR CHARLOTTESVILLE)

  Transportation will largely be the responsibility of the individual
participants.  The nearest major airports to Green Bank are in Washington, DC
[Dulles (IAD) and National (DCA)] and Pittsburgh, PA.  Direct travel to GB
from either of these metropolitan areas involves a 4-5 hour drive through the
picturesque and twisty mountains of West Virginia and western VA. Otherwise,
one might wish to fly into Charlottesville, VA where transport between NRAO
Headquarters and Green Bank will be arranged. Green Bank is about 75 miles due
West of Charlottesville, or about 120 miles (some 3 hours) by road.  About one
hour of this trip is fairly adventurous driving. A map giving driving directions
to Green Bank is included in the non-electronic version of this mailing.

  We regret that there can be no financial subsidies from the NRAO. However,
once in Green Bank, lodging in the NRAO dormitories and on-site houses
(this may be either double or single occupancy) will be provided without charge.
The NRAO will also provide meals and frequent liquid refreshment.  For those
specifically desiring single rooms, lodging in nearby motels can be arranged
(by the NRAO) at the participant's expense.  Carpooling or van pickup for the
sessions will be organized.

  The weather at the end of October will be fairly cold with crisp nights
(Green Bank is at 2700 ft altitude).  Visitors are advised to bring warm
clothes and to be prepared for the possibility of rain or snow.

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                           REGARDING YOUR TRAVEL PLANS

Please return by post to

                H. Liszt/Single-Dish Fits Meeting
                NRAO
                Edgemont Road
                Charlottesville, VA USA 22903-2475,

 or EMail via

   BITNET to HLISZT@NRAO, Internet to [email-masked], SPAN to 6654::HLISZT

 or phone
  
  Harvey Liszt 804-296-0344 (an answering machine will pick up the phone after
  3 1/2 rings)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Name:...............................   Phone/E-Mail:............................

I will arrive in (city)....................... at (date/time)...................

And will depart from.......................... at (date/time)...................

Before the meeting, I will need accomodations in Charlottesville on

  (dates)...............................

After the meeting, I will need accomodations in Charlottesville on

  (dates)...............................

Please arrange transport for me from Charlottesville to Green Bank on 30 Oct.

  yes....... no.......

Please arrange transport for me from Green Bank to Charlottesville on 1 Nov.

  yes....... no.......

I will share a room with......................................

I really strongly prefer a single room

  yes....... no.......

I will be accompanied by (non-participants only)........................

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            Single-Dish FITS Standards Workshop--(DRAFT) AGENDA

-------------------- day 1 -- TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 1989 ------------------------

==>Introduction: (8:45 am)

        Welcome and Introductory Remarks.......................H. Liszt

        History, Background, and Current Status of FITS

                Origins and Evolution of FITS..................D. Wells

                Remarks from the AAS WGAS......................R. Hanisch

                The IAU FITS Standards Committee...............P. Grosbol

                The NASA FITS Standards Office.................B. Schlesinger

        Use of FITS in High-Energy Astrophysics................S. Murray

(Coffee)

==>Steps Toward a Single-Dish FITS Format:

        The 1986 Format........................................R. Maddelena

        Alternative: A Compact Binary Table Format.............D. Wells

        Other alternatives?....................................(Anyone)

        General Discussion of Design and Methodology............EVERYONE!

(Lunch)

==>Specifying A Standard For Single Dish Data Exchange:

        Methodology/Architecture/Design

                Use of tables, random groups, other FITS mechanisms
                Vocabulary--Variable types; Usage of keywords/table headers
                Semantics--Meaning of keywords, definition of units
                World Coordinates--describing the velocity (or frequency) axis

(Coffee)

==>Charting the Future, Part 1:

        For the immediate future

                Defining the crucial details
                Defining a working group to settle these details
                Construction of first-generation FITS readers and writers

(Cocktails and Dinner)

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            Single-Dish FITS Standards Workshop--(DRAFT) AGENDA

------------------- day 2 -- WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 1989------------------------

==>Charting the Future, Part 2: (8:45 am)

        For the long-term

                Disseminating the products of the working group
                General implementation of the new standard
                Assuring general acceptance of the standard
                Assuring adherence to the new standard

(coffee)

==>General Concerns Affecting the Software Performance of Single Dishes

        Presentations from various instruments.................?

==>Wrap-up And General Summary of the Workshop

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