For sharing code for the interferometer project of Radio Astronomy 2024
For a tutorial on using git: https://people.irisa.fr/Anthony.Baire/git/git-for-beginners-handout.pdf
There are also good videos on YouTube available :)
Antenna Configuration Optimizer
A graphical interface for designing and testing antenna configurations for a 9-antenna interferometer. The tool allows for interactive adjustments to antenna positions, visualization of UV coverage, and PSF calculation.
Features:
Antenna Positioning Grid:
Visual grid (2.5m x 2.5m) with axes centered at (0, 0). Precise coordinate entry for antenna positions.
Control Panel Options:
Antenna Selection: Dropdown to select an antenna and update its coordinates. Preset Loading: Load configurations (circle, Y, etc.) from a dropdown. Randomize Configuration: Automatically set random positions for all antennas. Export Positions: Save the current configuration as antenna_positions_#.csv, where # auto-increments to avoid overwriting.
Visualization:
UV Coverage Plot: Generates a UV plane plot for the selected configuration. PSF Plot: Displays the Point Spread Function based on current positions.
Usage Instructions:
- Setup: Install dependencies (numpy, matplotlib, astropy, tkinter, tqdm).
- Running: Run the script antenna_optimizer.py to open the GUI.
- Configuring Antennas: Use the dropdown and spinboxes for custom setups, load presets, or generate random configurations.
- Plotting: Click Export & Plot to visualize UV and PSF plots in real time.