Appendix: Considerations Specific to the VLA

 

To avoid obscuring general principles elsewhere, I have collected VLA-specific details into this Appendix. Users of other synthesis radio telescopes may find this Appendix helpful as a ``worked example" of points discussed in the rest of the lecture.

• Choosing a VLA Configuration
  • Standard configurations
  • Combinations of standard configurations
  • Hybrid configurations
  • Sub-arrays
  • ``Scaled" configurations
• Frequency Selection
• VLA Bandwidth Selection
• VLA Averaging Times
• The Primary Beam
• Sensitivity
• ``Snapshot'' Mode
  • Limitations of ``snapshot'' mode
  • Multiple snapshots versus extended snapshots
• Constraints on Spectral Line Observing
• Confusion
• Calibration Details
  • Instrumental and atmospheric monitoring
  • VLA flux density calibration
  • VLA polarization calibration
  • Self-calibration criteria
  • Extreme Games I: P Band
  • Extreme Games II: Q Band
• Observing Proposals
• PC Software
  • VLASORS
  • VLAPLAN and VLAUVPL
• OBSERVE