Automatic Synthesis Imaging
Together with Martin Shepherd here at Caltech, I have developed
procedures for the automated generation of images from interferometric
data using the locally developed and widely exported Difmap package
(Shepherd, Pearson & Taylor 1994). Automatic mapping is useful as a
tool for the experienced user of millimeter or radio interferometry or
as a good starting point for the novice user. The best application of
automatic mapping, however, is to large surveys where it can
dramatically reduce the most time-consuming stage of the
data reduction process. Automated model-fitting can also be performed
to provide coordinates and flux densities for sources with simple
structures. We have successfully used automatic mapping on VLBI
surveys of ~200 sources, and are planning to use it for a
VLBA calibrator survey of ~3000 sources. It has also been
used to map ~2500 sources observed with the VLA in a search
for gravitational lenses (Pearson et al. 1995).
References
Pearson, T.J., Shepherd, M.C., Taylor, G.B., & Myers, S.T. 1995, BAAS,
in press
Shepherd, M.C., Pearson, T.J., & Taylor, G.B. 1994, BAAS, 26, 987.