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Introduction

This page contains tutorials to guide new ALMA users through some common types of data imaging and analysis using example ALMA datasets. In addition, we provide detailed guides to the calibration and imaging of some of the publicly-available ALMA Science Verification data that illustrate several different ALMA capabilities. If you are a new user of CASA, take a look at Getting Started in CASA. If you are new to CASAguides, start with How to use these CASA Tutorials.

Imaging Tutorials for CASA beginners

The following tutorials use example ALMA datasets to guide new CASA users through the basic steps required for imaging and self-calibration. ALMA data are delivered with standard calibrations applied and they are ready for imaging.

• A first look at imaging in CASA: This guide gives a first look at imaging and image analysis in CASA.
• A first look at self-calibration in CASA: This guide demonstrates continuum self-cal.
• A first look at spectral line imaging in CASA: This guide shows imaging of a spectral line.
• A first look at image analysis in CASA: This guide demonstrates moment creation and basic image analysis.

Current guides for reducing ALMA Science Verification data

The links below lead to overview pages for each science verification observation. The guides themselves are linked from the overview pages. These guides are a useful tools for those who would like to learn the process of calibration and imaging in detail.

The following ALMA science verification guides have been validated for CASA version 4.3. They should also work for CASA version 4.4 and later versions, without modification.

• AntennaeBand7: Mosaic of the galaxy merger NGC 4038/4039 (Antennae) at Band 7 (0.87 mm)
• IRAS16293Band9: Mosaic of the protostellar cluster IRAS16293-2422 at Band 9 (0.45 mm)
• M100_Band3: Demonstration of combining 12m-array, 7m-array, and Total Power data for M100 using CASA 4.3.1
• 3C286_Polarization: Demonstration of the reduction of ALMA continuum polarization toward the quasar 3C286

Legacy guides and scripts for reducing ALMA Science Verification data (Note: Include link only and move to separate page?)

The following ALMA science verification guides and scripts have been validated for older versions of CASA, and will not continue to be updated for new CASA releases.

• TWHydraBand7: The protoplanetary disk source TW Hya at Band 7 (0.87 mm)
• NGC3256Band3: The galaxy merger NGC 3256 at Band 3 (3 mm)
• ALMA2014_LBC_SVDATA: Imaging scripts and details for the 2014 ALMA Long Baseline Campaign science verification data for Juno, Mira, HL Tau, and SDP.81.
• File:BR1202 SV Band7 Calibration notes.pdf: Supplemental notes on the calibration of Science Verification target BR1202-0725 in CASA 3.3

Information for ALMA users wishing to reprocess or reimage ALMA data

• Examples for ALMA Imaging Pipeline Reprocessing (Note: This page just has the links below in it, remove links either here or there, Sam-I-Am)
  • Cycle 4 Examples
  • Cycle 5 Examples

• A guide for Using the North American ALMA Manual Imaging Template

Other information on relevant techniques and tools for ALMA data (Note: probably retitle or reorganize)

• A Guide to CASA Data Weights and How to Ensure They are Correct for Data Combination

• Examples for using the new tclean CASA task for ALMA Imaging

• Analysis Utilities -- a Python module containing utilities for analysis and plotting.

• Solar System Models in CASA 4.0 and beyond

• Tutorial: ALMA Solar Science Verification Data

Processing Cycle 0 data from the ALMA archive

A Guide to Processing ALMA Data for Cycle 0 takes you through the steps of processing Cycle 0 data from the ALMA data archive. The guide describes some helpful hints for downloading the data, and describes the process all the way through imaging and self-calibration, and image analysis.

You can also get a look at example data calibration scripts used for Cycle 0 data at the following links. These were written for CASA version 3.4.

• TDM (128 channels/spw) File:TDM.example.ms.scriptForCalibration.py
• FDM (3840 channels/spw) File:FDM.example.ms.scriptForCalibration.py
• If you need to update 3.4 scripts to 4.2, see more information here

Simulating ALMA data (Note: Simulations are linked from the main page, this is duplication. Remove?)

Start here to learn about simulations: A Tutorial for Simulating ALMA Data.

The CASA 4.3 simulation examples in the above tutorial should also work for version 4.4, and they will be validated for version 4.4 soon. Jump directly to the simulations examples with the following links.

• Simulation Examples in CASA 4.3
• Examples for older versions of CASA: 4.2 4.1 4.0 3.4 3.3

Old guides for other telescopes (Note: these are quite old, move elsewhere or delete)

• Other MM/Submm CASA Guides

Other useful Information

• CASA homepage including download and installation information
• ALMA Quick Reference
• ALMA Sensitivity Calculator
• Hints, Tips & Tricks