[Pafgbt] save PAF cross-correlations rather than formed beam outputs

[Anish Roshi]

Yes indeed. We can form images with beams with different optimization if
the correlations are recorded.
Anish


On Sun, May 19, 2013 at 9:57 AM, Rick Fisher <rfisher at nrao.edu> wrote:

> Brian, Karl,
>
> In trying to understand the ASKAP data processing architecture, I'm
> beginning to understand the fundamental importance of saving the
> cross-products between array element outputs in our own PAF data
> processing.  In forming beams you throw away a lot of information in the
> array's field of view that can be recovered only by forming many beams
> with very close spacing (much closer than HPBW/2).  This has important
> consequences for the sensitivity to point sources, as in the search for
> pulsars.  Hence, I would suggest that the most important archived outputs
> from your signal processor are the cross-products rather than formed
> beams.  For a given data storage volume, there's more information in the
> cross-products than in the formed beam outputs.  In some respects, the
> "beam" concept is a holdover from a waveguide feed where there's only one
> output, and most of the information in the focal plane is reflected back
> into the sky.
>
> Rick
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