GBTIDL Introduction#

GBTIDL is an interactive package for the reduction and analysis of spectral line data taken with the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT). GBTIDL is written entirely in IDL. There is limited support in GBTIDL for GBT continuum data, but it is mainly intended for spectral line data from the spectrometer or spectral processor.

Main Features of GBTIDL#

  • GBTIDL is easy and effective The GBTIDL package consists of a set of straightforward, yet flexible, calibration, averaging, and analysis procedures modeled after the UniPOPs and CLASS data reduction philosophies.

  • Plotter GBTIDL features a customized plotter with many built-in visualization features.

  • Support for advanced users GBTIDL has Data I/O and toolbox functionality that can be used for more advanced tasks.

  • Data structures GBTIDL makes use of data structures for storing spectra along with their headers.

  • Online feature GBTIDL can be run in online mode while observing with the GBT to give users rapid access to the most recent data.

Where can I run GBTIDL?#

GBTIDL is installed on the Linux computing systems at NRAO-Green Bank and NRAO-Charlottesville. It is also available for installation at other sites. An IDL license and installation with IDL 6.0 or later are required to run GBTIDL. GBTIDL has been tested on both Linux and Apple Mac installations. If you do not have an IDL license, it is possible to connect to a Green Bank computer from your remote site or sign up for time on a machine in Charlottesville that is dedicated to supporting remote users. Contact Jim Braatz or Bob Garwood for further information. In Green Bank and Charlottesville, GBTIDL is installed in /home/gbtidl/release/gbtidl. The NRAO developed IDL code is found starting in the pro subdirectory.

Obtaining GBTIDL#

GBTIDL is available as a tar file from the GBTIDL home page at http://gbtidl.nrao.edu. Simply click on Download GBTIDL Now and follow the instructions.