# Summary

This task is for imaging and analyzing MeasurementSets (MSs) simulated with simobserve or simalma.

simanalyze analyzes one or more MeasurementSets - interferometric and/or single dish, using CASA's clean task. It can also calculate and display the difference between the simulated observation and the original model data, and generate a "fidelity image". Fidelity is defined as:

\frac{I}{|I-T|}

where I is the observed image intensity and T is the true image intensity, given in this case by the sky model (see ALMA memo 398 for description of fidelity). The input parameters are therefore grouped by the two main pieces of functionality:

1. Image - Image the visibility data with CASA's clean task. Most of the parameters are passed directly to clean.
2. Analyze - Calculate and display the difference between output and input, and the fidelity image. Different diagnostic images can be chosen to plot on a multi-panel figure, with the different show parameters. That figure can be saved as a .png file if graphics='both' or graphics='file'.

The output is a synthesized image, a difference image between the synthesized image and your sky model convolved with the output synthesized beam, and a fidelity image.

NOTE: If you prefer to run tclean manually (e.g., to interactively clean with a mask), you can do that, and then use simanalyze to convolve the sky model and create difference and fidelity images by setting image=False.

Below is a list of the products produced by the simanalyze task. Not all of these will necessarily be produced, depending on the input parameters selected.

NOTE: To support various runs using differing arrays, the file names have the configuration name from the antenna list appended.

• [project].[cfg].skymodel.flat.regrid.conv = input sky regridded to match the output image, and convolved with the output clean beam
• [project].[cfg].image = synthesized image
• [project].[cfg].flux.pbcoverage = primary beam correction for mosaic image
• [project].[cfg].residual = residual image after cleaning
• [project].[cfg].clean.last = parameter file of what parameters were used in the clean task
• [project].[cfg].psf = synthesized (dirty) beam calculated from weighted uv distribution
• [project].[cfg].image.png = diagnostic figure of clean image and residual
• [project].[cfg].fidelity = fidelity image
• [project].[cfg].analysis.png = diagnostic figure of difference and fidelity
• [project].[cfg].simanalyze.last = saved input parameters for simanalyze task

# Parameter descriptions

#### project

This parameter should be set to the same name as used when running simobserve or simalma for the directory of results generated. In particular, [project]/[project].skymodel will be required in order to compare output and input images.

NOTE: simanalyze was designed to be used after one or more runs of simobserve, and as such it assumes it will be able to find a sky model image called [project]/[project].skymodel, .newmodel, or .compskymodel in the [project]/ subdirectory. If the simulated MS has been created by means other than simply calling simobserve, the user may have to copy their sky model image into the project subdirectory and call it [project].skymodel.

#### image

This parameter determines if simanalyze produces images or not.

WARNING: As is the case for real images, cleaning images produced by simobserve can lead to a spurious decrease in object fluxes and noise on the image (an effect known as "clean bias"). This is particularly true for observations with poor coverage of the uv-plane, i.e., using telescopes with small numbers of antennas, such as the ALMA Early Science configurations, and/or in short "snapshot" observations. Users should always clean images with care, using a small number of iterations and/or a conservative (3-5sigma) threshold and boxing bright sources.

### image=True expandable parameters

#### vis

Single or list of input MeasurementSets, which can include a total power MS. simanalyze will grid any total power MS, clean (invert and deconvolve) any interferometric MSes, and feather the results. Examples: single MS: vis="[project].alma.out03.ms"; multiple MSes: vis="[project].alma.out03.ms, [project].aca.tp.ms".

The user can use project and let the task automatically replace it with the project name, e.g., vis="[project].noisy.ms,project.noisy.sd.ms". However, note that if you created MeasurementSet(s) using simobserve, the MS names will include the configuration, e.g., [project].alma_out20.noisy.ms. Setting vis='default' will find and attempt to image all MeasurementSets (interferometric and single dish) in the [project]/ directory.

#### modelimage

It is often preferable to use a low resolution (single dish or synthesis) image as a prior model during clean deconvolution of a higher resolution interferometric MS. That is accomplished by putting the low-resolution image in modelimage and the MS to be deconvolved in vis.

NOTE: This is not the original skymodel that was used in simobserve or simalma. It is recommended to leave this blank unless the user is familiar with using a prior in clean deconvolution.

NOTE 2: modelimage will not be used if the MS to be imaged is total power.

#### imsize

The output image size in pixels (x,y), or set to 0 to match model (default). Examples: imsize=[500,500] or imsize=500 result in the same image size.

#### imdirection

Sets the output image direction. If left unset (default), the model center will be used. Examples: imdirection='J2000 10h00m00.0s -30d00m00.0s'

#### cell

Sets the cell size of the image with units. If left unset (default), the model cell size will be used. Examples: cell='10arcsec'

#### interactive

Turns interactive cleaning off or on. The default setting for this parameter is interactive=False (no interactive cleaning). If True, make sure to set niter>0.

#### niter

The maximum number of iterations to perform. This value can be changed for interactive cleaning (interactive=True) in the viewer GUI. Examples: niter=5000

#### threshold

This parameter sets the upper threshold for cleaning (clean will stop if this level is reached). The default is 0.1 mJy. Examples: threshold='0.5mJy'

#### weighting

This parameter sets the weighting that is to be applied to the visibility data. Options: 'natural' (+2.0 robust, default), 'uniform' (-2.0 robust), or 'briggs'. 'briggs' weighting uses a robust factor of 0.5, which cannot be changed within simanalyze. If a robust weighting is needed that is not available, it is suggested to set image to False and to clean manually with clean/tclean.

Specification of cleanbox(es), mask image(s), primary beam coverage level, and/or region(s) to be used for cleaning. clean tends to perform better and is less likely to diverge if the clean component placement is limited by a mask to where real emission is expected to be. Examples: pixel ranges mask=[110,110,150,145]; filename of mask image mask='myimage.mask'; or a file with mask regions mask='mymask.txt'.

#### outertaper

outertaper sets an outer threshold on baselines in the uv-plane, usually to achieve a lower angular resolution and to recover more extended emission that may be resolved out. Examples: outertaper=[ ] no outer taper applied; outertaper=[’5klambda’] circular uv taper FWHM at 5 kilo-lambda; outertaper=[’5klambda’,’3klambda’,’45.0deg’] elliptical Gaussian; outertaper=[’10arcsec’] on-sky FWHM of 10 arcsecs; outertaper=[’300.0’] 300m in aperture plane

#### pbcor

The pbcor parameter determines whether or not simanalyze corrects the flux based on the primary beam. If pbcor=True, a .pbcor image will be produced with the primary beam correction applied. This is set to True by default.

#### stokes

The stokes parameter specifies the Stokes parameters for the resulting images. Note that forming Stokes Q and U images requires the presence of cross-hand polarizations (e.g. RL and LR for circularly polarized systems such as the VLA) in the data. Stokes V requires both parallel hands (RR and LL) for circularly-polarized systems or the cross-hands (XY and YX) for linearly polarized systems such as ALMA and ATCA. Examples: stokes = ’I’ intensity only (default); stokes = ’IQU’ intensity and linear polarization; stokes = ’IV’ intensity and circular polarization; stokes = ’IQUV’ all Stokes imaging; stokes = ’RR’ right hand polarization only; stokes = ’XXYY’ both linear polarizations

#### featherimage

Sometimes it is preferable to grid the single dish MS using the sdimaging task for more control. In that case, the user can input the resulting single dish imaging under featherimage, only put interferometric MSs in vis, and simanalyze will clean the interferometric and feather with the featherimage.

### image=False expandable parameters

#### imagename

If the user already has a synthesized image they wish to use, it can be input using the parameter imagename.

#### skymodel

simanalyze will attempt to find an appropriate skymodel image - this is the *.skymodel image created by simobserve or simalma, the (optionally rescaled) original sky model which was used to create the MeasurementSet. If a skymodel is not explicitedly assigned, simanalyze will look in the project directory.

#### analyze

This parameter is used to turn on or off the creation of analytical images pertaining to the simulation.

### analyze=True expandable parameters

When the analyze parameter is set to True, simanalyze will display the first 6 of the following analysis images, based on whether the sub-parameters are set to True or False. An image will also be created of the difference between the input skymodel and the simulated output image (whether that output image is being generated in the same call to simanalyze, with image=True, or has already been generated, and simanalyze is being called with image=False).

#### showuv

Displays a plot of the uv coverage for the simulation.

#### showpsf

Displays a synthesized (dirty) beam (ignored in single dish simulation).

#### showmodel

Displays the sky model at its original resolution.

#### showconvolved

Displays the sky model convolved with an output beam.

#### showclean

Displays the synthesized image.

#### showresidual

Displays the clean residual image (ignored in single dish simulation).

#### showdifference

Displays the difference between output cleaned image and input model sky image convolved with an output clean beam.

#### showfidelity

Displays the fidelity image. The fidelity image is defined by the following equation:

$fidelity = \frac{| input |}{max[| input-output | 0.7*rms(output)]}$

NOTE: The RMS is calculated in the lower quarter of the image which is likely not the best choice. It is encouraged to measure RMS manually in an off-source region using the viewer.

#### graphics

Displays graphics based on the manner in which the parameter is set. Options: 'screen', 'file', 'both', 'none'

#### verbose

Turns on or off the reporting of task activity in the log. Examples: verbose=False (default)

#### overwrite

If the user would like simanalyze to replace the previously created files starting with the project name, set this parameter to True (default).

#### dryrun

dryrun=True is an advanced technical mode only useful for interferometric (not single dish) data.

#### logfile

Allows for a user-defined log file naming convention if verbose=True.