Amplitude Calibration IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer
Keywords: pdbi-amp-cal

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# Amplitude Calibration
IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer

S. Guilloteau

Document probably older than you think

Version 1.0

(1) Institut de Radio Astronomie Millimétrique
300 Rue de la Piscine
F-38406 Saint Martin d'Hères

Calibration compensates for imperfections and unknowns in the instrument use, including antenna defects (surface quality, focus), pointing errors, atmospheric transmission and fluctuations, receiver and backend gain and instabilities, etc...

This paper describes the way OBS (30-m or 15-m version) calibrates spectra, tries to assess the accuracy of the calibration factor, , under practical observing conditions, and then list precautions to take when observing.

Note: this is the on-line version of the "Amplitude Calibration". A PDF version is also available.

Related information is available in

- IRAM Plateau de Bure Interferometer: OBS Users Guide
- CLIC: Continuum and Line Interferometer Calibration

  - Contents
  - Goal and Principle
    - Basic Equations
    - Atmospheric Model
  - Calibration mode: COLD, AUTO, or TREC ?
    - No Nitrogen available : TREC Mode
    - No Nitrogen available : AUTO mode
    - CAL COLD calibration
    - MANUAL mode
  - The temperature scale : ``Beam Efficiency''
  - The SKYDIP
  - Continuum Calibration
  - Reduced Chopper Calibration
    - Partial Beam Coverage
    - Attenuator
  - Critical parameters, biases and errors
    - Low opacity approximation
    - SKYDIP effects
    - Derivatives
      - Relative to
      - Relative to
      - Relative to
      - Relative to
      - Relative to
    - Results
    - Consequences
  - Recommendations
    - 30-m
    - Interferometer
    - Other problems
  - About this document ...