Using CASA

Basics

NRAO provide instructions for downloading and installing the most recent version of CASA. http://casa.nrao.edu/ also provides links to the manual, example scripts and so on, and also a list of supported operating systems.  Please consult this carefully first if you have any installation queries.
Root install is not required (non-root installation recommended for Linux). See CASA Downloads and Cookbook links

We will provide support for astronomers visiting the Manchester ARC node, or you can email alma@jb.man.ac.uk . We are available to visit your institute to demonstrate or run tutorials on CASA to small groups.

See Events for details of forthcoming CASA schools (and links to previous events).

The CASA Guides provide detailed data reduction examples.

Please note that these examples are primarily intended to be introduced during face-to-face tutorials and should always be used in conjunction with the CASA Cookbook.

Other example scripts and data

• Data and commands to test CASA
  

• MERLIN - small data sets, very detailed explanations, good for early practice
  
• Data and scripts for simple phase-referenced calibration and imaging of continuum source 3C277.1
  
• Data and scripts for 3C277.1 continuum also including bandpass and polarization calibration.
  

• VLA

• VLA export format 3C129 data and CASA script

• Continuum data for Jupiter in full polarization:
• Simplified script and data. Jupiter_simple.txt is covers all stages of data reduction but with break points. Jupiter_withflags.tgz and Jupiter_split.tgz are partially reduced data, to allow you to skip flagging and to skip straight to target self-calibration, respectively.  If you want to practice everything including flagging you will need the next data file instead, planets_6cm.fits
  
• Original material planets_6cm.fits and jupiter6cm_demo.py (also bundled in CASA installation)
• Script to practice editing the Jupiter data
  
• Scripting and advanced imaging
• NGC 4258 data   and casapy script updated 30 Mar 2010
  
• ngc4258-continuum-orig.py Excercise script with 'missing' parameter values
  
•  ngc4258_tutorial.py  
• Script with break option added to interrupt at wait points
  

• VLA
• NGC5921.fits and ngc5921_demo.py NGC 5921 HI data and CASA script. (also bundled in CASA installation)
• ATCA
• ATCA  CASA scripts and data for J2342-44 (HI)
• ATCA Recipes for fixing spectral line parameters in MS made from RPFITS
  

• BIMA
•  NGC 4826 CO data and CASA scripts (also bundled in CASA installation)
• ngc4826.fitsfiles.tgz  and simplified script
• ngc4826_tutorial.py original script 

• Example scripts

Simulations

Support is available through the UK ARC for users who wish to simulate ALMA observations. The CASA software package includes the simdata task which has been designed specifically for ALMA, and to a lesser extent the EVLA. For more low-level, generic simulation work the CASA simulator tool can also be invoked. Simulation work is one of the topics we cover at the CASA workshops, and more details and examples are available on the CASA Guides Wiki

Simulation examples

• Star formation in a nearby galaxy, Leo T, seen in the HCN line (description, inputs and data link)
• A spiral galaxy at redshifts of 0.1 and 1 (moving a Herschel continuum image of M83 to higher redshifts)
  
• Data for CO simulation CO_CLUSTER.FITS.gz
• Simulation script needs updating simulation.txt

 ALMA Observation Support Tool

The UK ARC has also developed user-friendly ALMA simulation software which is controlled via a web interface and does not require any prior knowledge of CASA, nor an in-depth understanding of interferometry. This has been designed to aid the 'technical feasibility' considerations at the proposal writing stage. The ALMA Observation Support Tool (OST) can be found at http://almaost.jb.man.ac.uk it includes the Cycle 0 Early Science ALMA configurations, allows the upload of users models and has a selection of Library images for use in simulations.