
1 ATMOSPHERE
        [ASTRO\]ATMOSPHERE [INTERPOLATE|MAKE|SAVE]

    *** HELP still to be updated ***

    Compute  atmospheric emission, opacity, system temperatures, etc..., us‐
    ing input parameters provided by the user. Input parameters are the fol‐
    lowing SIC variables: .nf
       TEMPERATURE      Outside temperature
       ZERO_PRESSURE    Pressure at sea level.
       AIRMASS          Number of air masses
       WATER            Precipitable water vapor
       FORWARD_EFF      Forward efficiency
       GAIN_IMAGE       Receiver gain ratio
       TREC             Receiver temperature
       FREQ_SIG         Signal frequency (in GHz)
       FREQ_IMA         Image frequency (in GHz)
    These  variables  can  be assigned using the SIC command LET.  The addi‐
    tional input variables
       ALTITUDE         Site altitude
       FREQ_SIG         Signal frequency (in GHz)
       FREQ_IMA         Image frequency (in GHz)
    are modified by the ASTRO OBSERVATORY and LINE commands.

    The output of the command consists in the following variables
       TRUE_PRESSURE    Local pressure, derived from the site altitude and
                        the sea level pressure by the scale height of 5.5 km.
       TSYS             The system temperature in the signal sideband
       TAU_H2O          The water vapor opacity
       TAU_O2           The dry atmosphere opacity (mostly due to Oxygen,
                        but minor constituents like Ozone may also play a role)
       TAU_TOT          The total opacity: H2O + O2 (+ minor components for
                         new ATM version)
       EMIS_SIG         The atmospheric emission (Kelvin) in the signal sideband
       EMIS_IMA         The atmospheric emission (Kelvin) in the image sideband
       PATH_SIG         The atmospheric excess optical path length (mm)
                        in the signal sideband
       PATH_IMA         The atmospheric excess optical path length (mm)
                        in the image sideband
    These variables can then be used to produce plots of atmospheric  trans‐
    parency, system temperatures, etc...

    ATMOSPHERE INTERPOLATE
    will do the same calculations, but interpolating the data from the bina‐
    ry table (logical name GAG_ATMOSPHERE).

    ATMOSPHERE MAKE filename nf freqmin freqmax
    will create the binary table filename.bin  for  nf  frequencies  between
    freqmin and freqmax (in GHz).

    ATMOSPHERE SAVE filename
    This  is useful to save with the current machine byte order a table pre‐
    viously computed on a different machine with a different byte order.

1 CATALOG
        [ASTRO\]CATALOG name [/VELETA] [/ALTERNATE]

    Open the catalog file specified by ’name’.  Default  file  extension  is
    sample.sou  and  phase.sou  (an incomplete list of Plateau de Bure phase
    calibrators). The file GAG_DATA:phase‐pdb.sou contains a  more  complete
    list of Plateau de Bure phase calibrators.

    CATALOG  with  no  arguments will display the catalogs currently opened.
    Please enter HELP CATALOG FORMAT for a description of the catalogs  con‐
    tent.

2 /VELETA
        This  option will open the catalog file ’name’.CAT, assuming it fol‐
    lows the format of OBSINP catalogs in use on the 30m  Radiotelescope  of
    IRAM.  A file ´name’.SOU will be created in the current directory in the
    Plateau de Bure format, so that this option needs to be  specified  ONLY
    ONCE for each catalog. Fancy options such as SL0P, SB0P ... are not sup‐
    ported.

2 /ALTERNATE
        This option will open the specified catalog as a second catalog, on‐
    ly accessible through the "/ALTERNATE" options of commands SOURCE, HORI‐
    ZON, and CONVERT. For instance,  a  catalog  containing  calibration  or
    pointing  sources  may  be opened as an Alternate catalog, while the ob‐
    jects to study are kept in the Current catalog, enabling easy  switching
    between the two kinds of objects.

2 FORMAT

        *** HELP still to be updated ***

    In  the  ASTRO  catalog  format each source uses one line of the catalog
    file.  Each line should contain the following consecutive keywords (some
    may be omitted):
     1) Source name field:
        The source name field is a composite item which can accomodate several
        names for a single source. Names should be separated by a vertical bar
        ( | ) with no embedded spaces, e.g.: B0415+379|3C111. Each name must
        have at most 12 characters.
     2) Coordinate system: 2 characters, optional, may be:
          EQ for equatorial coordinates. If "EQ" is given explicitely,
                                 then the Epoch  keyword is mandatory.
          GA for Galactic II coordinates.
          EC for J2000 Ecliptic coordinates
          HO for horizontal coordinates
          DA for equatorial, present‐day coordinates.
     3) Epoch:  needed for equatorial coordinates after "EQ" keyword.
     4) Longitude‐like coordinate: in degrees, except for EQ and DA where it
        should be in hours. Format is
              hh:mm:ss.sss[,first[,second]]
        where
              "hh:mm:ss.sss" is a generalized sexagesimal format
                (hh:mm:ss.sss or dd.ddd or hh:mm.mmm)
              "first" is an (optional) first order time derivative
              "second" is an (optional) second order time derivative
     5) Latitude‐like coordinate: in degrees, same format as above.

     The following OPTIONAL KEYWORD can also be included, and may be listed in
     any order:

     A) a "Velocity" keyword
         Velocity Value
            where "Velocity" is an alphabetic code, equal to "LSR", "HELIO"
            or "EARTH". HELIO actually means: referred to the Solar System
            barycenter. Value is the velocity in km/second, in the corresponding
            reference frame. Default is zero.
     B) an "Intensity" keyword
         FLUX  Value [Index]
             Value is the flux in Jy. Index is an optional spectral index
         Mx  Value
             Value is the magnitude, Unknown values can be coded 99.99
             Mx can be MAGNITUDE, or x is one of V,R,I,J,H,K,L,M,N to indicate
             the visual band
     C) a "Project" keyword
         PROJECT ProjectID
            to specify a project identification (a string without spaces)
     D) an "hour" keyword to indicate the validation hour for the coordinates
        (which is useful when time  derivatives are given), specified by
         HOUR Value
     E) A "Parallax" keyword
         PARALLAX Value
              Value is in arcsec.

    Any other keyword will be ignored.

1 CONSTELL
        [ASTRO\]CONSTELL [/DRAW [m] [l] [s]] [/BOUNDARIES]

    Plots  in  the  current FRAME with the current FONT, MARKER and PEN, the
    constellations, i.e., the main stars of all constellations with a marker
    size adequately depending on the magnitude.  The options are:
     /DRAW [m] [l] [s]
     "m" will cause markers at the star’s positions to be plotted
     "l" will cause the constellations outlines to be plotted
     "s" will cause the star’s names to be plotted (using current centering and
         character size)
     /BOUNDARIES will draw the constellation boundaries (originally constant RA
         and DEC at 1875 epoch, they are precessed to the current epoch).
         The current code is quite slow.

    The default is CONSTELL /DRAW m l. This command makes use of the logical
    name GAG_CONSTELL which points to a GILDAS Table  containing  the  stars
    positions  (constellation.bin bydefault) and drawing codes, and GAG_CON‐
    ST_BOUND which defines the constellation boundaries (file sky.bin by de‐
    fault).

1 CONVERT
        [ASTRO\]CONVERT  [Catalog_Name]  [/ALTERNATE]  [/J2000  [Obs_epoch]]
    [/PRECESS [New_epoch]] [/GALACTIC] [/FLUX fmin] [/NAME  ncname  [iname]]
    [/INPUT POS|FLUX filename pos]

    *** HELP still to be updated ***

    Change catalog format or epoch.

    Without  any  option  (or  with option /ALTERNATE) and without argument,
    this command creates an OBSINP‐compatible copy of the ’name’.SOU catalog
    (or  Alternate  catalog  if  /ALTERNATE  is  specified)  under  the name
    ’name’.CAT.

    With the /J2000 and/or /PRECESS option, the  command  will  precess  the
    current  SOU catalog to J2000 system, using the specified epochs for ob‐
    servation (Obs_epoch, default 1950) and final result (New_epoch, default
    2000).  The  output  catalog is ’Catalog_name’.SOU, and has the standard
    format.

    /FLUX create a copy of the current catalog with  only  sources  of  flux
    larger than fmin

    /NAME  ncname  [iname]: reserve ncname characters for names field.  With
    iname.gt.0, a standard name (Jhhmmmsddmmm) is created and put in inameth
    positions in the list of names.

    /INPUT  FLUX filename : will take fluxes from filename, which has itself
    the format of a catalog (both input catalog and filename are assumed al‐
    phabetically sorted)

    /INPUT  POSITION  filename  dpos : will take positions from filename, if
    different by more than dpos arc seconds. Filename has itself the  format
    of a catalog (both input catalog and filename are assumed alphabetically
    sorted)

    /ALTERNATE option : do the same operation with the Alternate catalog.

1 FRAME
        [ASTRO\]FRAME System [...]

    This command specifies the reference frame to be used for plots.  System
    may be HORIZONTAL or EQUATORIAL (at epoch defined by TIME command) If no
    other argument is given, plotting is  done  in  rectangular  coordinates
    representing Azimuth‐Elevation or Right Ascension‐Declination.  If other
    arguments are given, a Stereographic projection is used:
      ‐ FRAME EQUATORIAL Ra Dec Size
        the projection will be centered on Ra and  Dec  (hours  ‐  degrees);
        Size  in  degrees  specify  the plotting range (e.g. 180 for a whole
        hemisphere = the default).
      ‐ FRAME HORIZONTAL Az El Size
        same thing, but Az and El are in degrees.
      ‐ FRAME HORIZONTAL Center
        will plot a hemisphere in horizontal system,  where  Center  may  be
        ZENITH, NORTH, EAST, SOUTH or WEST.

1 HEADER
        [ASTRO\]HEADER

    Write the UTC and LST times on top of the FRAME plot, as well as the ob‐
    servatory coordinates.

    The same information, as well as a  couple  of  other  parameters  (.eg.
    twilight  start  and  end),  are listed in the ASTRO terminal. Output is
    something like:
      UTC :    19‐SEP‐2007   02:18:59.998
      UT1 :    19‐SEP‐2007   02:18:59.698    DUT1 :     ‐0.300
      TDT :    19‐SEP‐2007   02:20:05.182    DTDT :     65.184
      Julian date :          2454362.60
      LST :        02:33:06.1453

      OBS :    BURE   05:54:28.500   44:38:02.000
      Alt.:    2.560 km     Sun Avoidance:    45.0 deg.

      SunRise/Set :      05:23:47.980   17:37:02.472
      Twilight              Start          End
      Civil :            18:10:55.799   04:49:54.653
      Nautical :         18:45:21.460   04:15:28.992
      Astronomical :     19:20:49.604   03:40:00.848

1 HORIZON
        [ASTRO\]HORIZON h1 h2 ... [/SOURCE ... ] [/PLANET ...  ]  [/AIRMASS]
    [/FLUX Fmin Fmax] [/NIGHT_MARKS] [/ALTERNATE] [/PROJECT] [/ELEVATION]

    This  command  is  used to produce plots of LST ranges of observability,
    above specified elevations, of sources and planets. A line is drawn  for
    all  hours when the object is visible above elevation h1; tick marks and
    labels are provided for elevations h1, h2, ... (in degrees),  or  corre‐
    sponding air masses values (with /AIRMASS option). Elevation values must
    be in increasing order, or airmasses in decreasing order.  UTC  axis  is
    drawn  on top of the plot. A label with date and observatory coordinates
    is plotted.

    Various options are available to control the plot:
        /SOURCE                  will plot on one page all sources
                                 of the Current (by default) or Alternate
                                 (optionally) catalog.
        /SOURCE name1 name2 ...  will be restricted to the specified sources
        /SOURCE NEXT n           will plot the next n sources in the current
                                 catalog (repeat this command to avoid over‐
                                 crowded pages)
        /ALTERNATE               with /SOURCE, will use the Alternate catalog
        /FLUX Fmin Fmax          restrict the search to sources with flux in
                                 the specified range.

        /PLANET                  will plot on one page all solar‐system bodies
        /PLANET name1 name2 ...  will be restricted to the specified bodies

        /NIGHT_MARKS            Plots also the beginning and end of Astronomical,
                                 Nautical and Civil Twilights, and an estimate of
                                 The moon phase and the moon bolometric magnitude.

    For specific Plateau de Bure scheduling purposes, the  options  /PROJECT
    and /ELEVATION can be used. In that case, the source catalog must have a
    number of additional parameters available for each source (project name,
    frequency, priority, minimal elavation,...).

1 Language
                        ASTRO\ Language summary

    ATMOSPHERE          : compute atmospheric parameters
    CATALOG             : opens a standard source catalog
    CONVERT             : precess coordinates from an input catalog
    CONSTELL            : draws constellation on current plot
    FRAME               : define plotting reference system
    HORIZON             : plot observability hours of sources and planets
    HEADER              : write time parameters on top of plot
    OBSERVATORY         : define observatory coordinates
    PLANET              : compute planet coordinates
    SET parameter value : enter some parameter value
    SOURCE              : compute source coordinates
    TIME                : set computation time
    UV_TRACKS           : plot interferometer UV tracks

1 OBSERVATORY
        [ASTRO\]OBSERVATORY [longitude latitude altitude [radius]]
                 or
        [ASTRO\]OBSERVATORY [Name]

    Specify  an observatory by giving its geographic coordinates in degrees,
    and elevation in km above sea level. Caution: east longitudes are  posi‐
    tive.  The fourth argument is the radius of the Sun avoidance circle, in
    degrees (default is 30 degrees).

    Example:  OBSERVATORY 44:23:12.0 +45:09:57.9 3.987 30.

    A number of observatories are pre‐defined and can be  selected  directly
    be  typing  "OBSERVATORY Name". The known names are: BURE (or PDBI), PI‐
    COVELETA (or VELETA) ALMA, APEX, ATF, CSO, FCRAO, JCMT, KITTPEAK, KOSMA,
    SEST,  SMA, SMT EFFELSBERG, VLA LASILLA, MAUNAKEA, PARANAL (or VLT), IO‐
    TA, PTI, GI2T

    Without argument, the observatory name is translated  from  the  GAG_AS‐
    TRO_OBS logical name.

1 PLANET
        [ASTRO\]PLANET [name] [/DRAW [...]]

    Compute  the  coordinates  of  a Solar System object. Known objects are:
    SUN, MOON, MERCURY, VENUS, MARS, JUPITER, SATURN,  URANUS,  NEPTUNE.  By
    default,  all known objects are plotted if visible.  The Option /DRAW is
    used to plot the object symbol on the screen.   The  planet  coordinates
    (apparent  RA,  apparent  DEC, Azimuth and Elevation at time of computa‐
    tion) are typed on the screen.

    PLANET outputs also the geocentric (DE) and heliocentric (DS)  distances
    of the object (in A.U.), the apparent minor and major diameters (Min and
    Maj in arcsec.), the position angle of the central  meridian  (PA,  east
    from  north,  in degrees), the brightness temperature (TB in K), and the
    flux (S in Jy) at the current frequency. It also outputs  the  frequency
    (in  GHz),  the  beam (in arcsec), the main beam temperature (Tmb in K),
    the associated flux (in Jy) and the planet size convolved with the tele‐
    scope beam (size in arcsec).

    The  frequency may be entered either through command LINE or by updating
    variable FREQUENCY (in GHz). The beam used in computation  is  available
    through  the  READONLY  variable PRIMBEAM (in arcsec). User may override
    the default used beam size by setting the BEAM variable  to  a  non‐zero
    value (in arcsec).

    Arguments to /DRAW may be LINE, MARKER, SYMBOL, or FULL:
      LINE   will draw a line from the previously computed position
      MARKER will draw a marker (GreG style defined by GREG\SET MARKER)
              at the computed position
      SYMBOL will draw the planet’s symbol at the computed position
      FULL   will combine MARKER and SYMBOL (the symbol will be offset
             one marker size above the computed position).
    If several arguments are given they will be used in sequence.

1 SET
        [ASTRO\]SET parameter value

    Enter a value for a parameter. Valid parameters are :
      ‐ DUT1
        which is (UT1‐UTC) in seconds of time (from I.E.R.S.)
      ‐ DTDT
        which is (TDT‐UTC) in seconds of time (from I.E.R.S.)
      ‐ AZIMUTH_REFERENCE
        which  is  either NORTH or SOUTH, and defines the azimuth to be zero
        in the North or South direction (to conform to local conventions).
      ‐ SET NAME Argument
        Define the naming convention for listing sources from  the  catalog.
        Sources  in  the catalog may have several names. This command define
        which name should be printed in commands SOURCE and HORIZON.   Argu‐
        ment can be
            *   to print the name of the source which has been searched for
            ALL to print all the possible names of the source
            1,2,3  etc...  to print the first, second, third, etc.. possible
            names of the source

    Reasonable system defaults may be introduced in  the  command  procedure
    GAG_ASTRO_LOCAL.

1 SOURCE
        [ASTRO\]SOURCE  [name  [...]]  [/DRAW  [m] [l] [s] [f]] [/ALTERNATE]
    [/SUN] [/FLUX Fmin Fmax]

    Compute the coordinates of a Source from the  Current  catalog.   If  no
    name  is specified, all sources of the catalog are selected.  Source co‐
    ordinates may also be specified in the command line, in the same  format
    as  the  catalog file.  The /DRAW option is used to draw the source name
    on the plot at its current position (Azimuth,  Elevation).   The  source
    coordinates  (RA, DEC, Azimuth and Elevation at time of computation) are
    printed on the screen, as well as the line‐of‐sight  components  of  the
    following velocities:
      ‐ V(S/OBS)
        Source (S) relative to Observatory
      ‐ V(S/LSR)
        Source  (S)  relative to Local Standard of Rest. This is the LSR ve‐
        locity furnished by the observer as part of the source coordinates.
      ‐ V(LSR/G)
        Local Standard of Rest relative to Solar System Barycenter (G)
      ‐ V(G/OBS)
        Solar System Barycenter (G) relative to the Observatory
    All velocities are in km/s, positive if the distance is increasing. With
    the above convention, we have: V(S/OBS) = V(S/LSR)+V(LSR/G)+V(G/OBS).

    Arguments  to /DRAW may be LINE, MARKER, SYMBOL, or FULL, as for command
    PLANET:
      LINE   will draw a line from the previously computed position
             (SOURCE or PLANET)
      MARKER will draw a marker (GreG style defined by GREG\SET MARKER)
             at the computed position
      SYMBOL will draw the source name in capitals at the computed position
      FULL   will combine MARKER and SYMBOL (the name will be offset
             one marker size above the computed position).
    If several arguments are given they will be used in sequence.

    /ALTERNATE will direct the search to the Alternate catalog.

    /SUN will also list the sun avoidance limits

    /FLUX Fmin Fmax will select only sources  with  flux  densities  in  the
    specified  range. Marker sizes will be proportional to the (logarithm of
    the) flux.

    /PRINT option will suppress the printing of Az and  El,  and  print  the
    source characteristics as in catalog instead.

1 TIME
         [ASTRO\]TIME [time [date]] [/ZONE Z] [/UT1] [/TDT] [/NODRAW]

    Specify  the  time‐date  of  computation. Time is normally understood as
    UTC; options /UT1 and /TDT may be used to change this to UT1 or TDT. The
    time  format  is  HH:MM:SS.SSS, and the date format is DD‐MMM‐YYYY. Time
    and date may be absent or replaced by an asterisk (*), which defaults to
    current system time.  Local civil time may be input instead of UTC, with
    the option /ZONE z, where z is the difference in hours between  UTC  and
    local civil time (use /ZONE 2 in western Europe in Summer, 1 in winter).

    By  default, if the sun is visible, a Sun Avoidance Circle (see HELP OB‐
    SERVATORY) is plotted. It can be suppressed using  the  /NODRAW  option.
    Use HEADER to examine the value of the Sun Avoidance Circle.

1 UV_TRACKS
        [ASTRO\]UV_TRACKS   station1   station2  [station3  [...]]   [/FRAME
    [size]] [/HOUR_ANGLE  Hmin  [Hmax]]  [/TABLE  [Name]]  [/HORIZON  Elmin]
    [/SIZE  size1  nsize1  size2  nsize2  ...]  [/INTEGRATION  t] [/STATIONS
    ALL|list] [/OFFSET offset]

    Plot interferometer UV tracks for the most recently called source.  Sta‐
    tion  coordinates  are searched for in the file ASTRO_STATIONS. Stations
    should be referred to by a mnemonic (e.g. E03, W00 ...) given  as  argu‐
    ments  of  UV_TRACKS.   A  sketch of the interferometer described by AS‐
    TRO_STATIONS is also drawn.
        Option /FRAME should be used to start a new UV coverage.  It  clears
    the plot, draws the box, and open a new table if /TABLE is present.
        Option  /HORIZON  specify  a  minimum elevation (in degrees) for the
    source.
        Option /HOUR_ANGLE can be used to limit  the  hour  angle  coverage.
    Default is from source rise (above the minimum elevation) to source set‐
    up. Hmin and Hmax are in decimal hours.
        Option /TABLE can be used to write the sampling function (UV  cover‐
    age)  on a UV table for further processing such as producing beams using
    the task UV_MAP. Name should be specified only if option /FRAME has been
    set.
        Option  /INTEGRATION  t  is used to change the time interval between
    points in the u,v plane (currently there is a max of 3000 points between
    HA_MIN and HA_MAX).
        Option  /STATIONS  enable to access stations by their rank number in
    the ASTRO_STATIONS file, not by their mnemonic. ALL means ’take all sta‐
    tions’.
        Option  /SIZE (mostly used in conjunction with /STATIONS) permits to
    give the corresponding aperture size of "antennas" ("aerials?").
        Option /OFFSET followed by an offset value in metres is used to  fix
    a supplementary OPD on telescope#1 of the station list for known optical
    interferometers that have this possibility (IOTA, VLTI).

    The box labelling is in meters. A double labelling in  kilo  wavelengths
    is  drawn if variable FREQUENCY (observing frequency in GHz) is defined.
    Switching to the VLT by the command "OBSERVATORY VLT" defines  FREQUENCY
    to some 1 micron (300 THz). Some labellings are then in wavelengths (mi‐
    crons).  Switching between files describing interferometer stations  can
    be done inside ASTRO by redefing the ASTRO_STATIONS logical variable us‐
    ing the command
    SIC LOG ASTRO_STATIONS "path/to/the/desired/file"
    The BURE stations are described in the file ephemeris/astro_stations.dat
    (and accessed by default on most ASTRO installs, or otherwise by
    SIC LOG ASTRO_STATIONS GAG_ASTRO_DATA:astro_stations.dat)

1 ENDOFHELP













































