AtLAST Sensitivity Calculator
The Atacama Large Aperture Submillimeter Telescope (AtLAST) is a project to build a new 50m single-dish telescope to observe at sub-mm wavelengths that is currently in the design study phase. For further details on the project, see https://www.atlast.uio.no/.
The AtLAST Sensitivity Calculator can be used to calculate the required on source exposure time per pointing to achieve a given sensitivity or, conversely, the sensitivity obtained for a given exposure time. The sensitivity calculator is designed on our current best estimates for the telescope and instrument parameters, but these are likely to be refined as the project develops.
Quickstart Guide
This guide shows how to quickly install and use the sensitivity calculator to calculate a sensitivity for a given integration time and an integration time for a given sensitivity.
About the Sensitivity Calculator
This chapter provides information on the inner workings of the calculator. The sensitivity calculation describes the overriding equations for calculating the sensitivity. Calculation inputs lists the calculator parameters (both the user inputs and those of the telescope) along with their default values and units. Weather describes the atmospheric model and how this is used in the equations. Instrument overview describes how we represent instruments in the calculator. There are then separate pages for each of the instruments with further details of the instrument and the equations specific to them.
About the Sensitivity Calculator
Installation
This chapter provides information on installing the calculator as a Python package.
User Guide
This chapter describes how to use the calculator as a Python package in using the Calculator. Input and output files provides information on how files can be used to input data into the calculator, the format they need to be in and how to export the results as a file. The calculator can also be run as a web client. Instructions for setting this up locally are given in running the web client.
Developer Guide
This chapter is for the benefit of future developers of the software. It starts with an overview of the inner workings of the application and structure of the repository. Developing the application provides information on setting up and maintaining the various parts of the application. Instructions are also provided on how to add a new instrument to the application.
Code Documentation
This chapter details the application programming interface (API) for the software and unified modelling language (UML) diagrams to illustrate the connections between the different modules.
Code Documentation
Funding Acknowledgement
This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nos. 951815 (AtLAST) and 101188037 (AtLAST2). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Research Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the European Research Executive Agency can be held responsible for them.
