CIMA is the main user-interface and top-layer control software for running astronomical observations at Arecibo Observatory. CIMA provides the observer with a graphical user interface making it easy to control the telescope, the receivers and the back-ends. The CIMA system also includes a data quick-look facility, monitoring windows and other tools useful for an observer.

The system was originally developed for Arecibo by Jeff Hagen using ideas from the AOCONTROL interface for pulsar observing written by Duncan Lorimer. Major enhancements to the runtime and build systems were provided by Mikael Lerner (CIMA Developer October 2004-2008). Prakash Atreya (2012-2015) added CIMA modules to control the PUPPI pulsar machine.

The name CIMA is (was) an acronym standing for Control Interface Module for Arecibo, although it nowadays is more often thought of as just a name in itself. Although not having any meaning in English, CIMA in Spanish means "top", "peak" both in a figurative and in a literal sense.

CIMAFITS is the name for the Arecibo FITS-file format. CIMAFITS is based on the SDFITS (Single-Dish FITS) format and the WCS (World Coordinate System) standard for FITS-files.

Available CIMA-related pages

This is a list of (fairly) up-to-date documents describing CIMA and CIMAFITS:

• The CIMA version history log which is the most up-to-date page listing all changes made to the different versions of CIMA

• The latest news about CIMA - some important news about CIMA.
• The CIMA software components - a list of the currently installed software components of CIMA.
• The current CIMA versions - a summary of the currently available CIMA versions.
• CIMA observing modes - tables with the available observing modes in CIMA.
• A visual guide to the CIMA windows - a collection of screen dumps of all the CIMA windows.
• CIMA preferences - a way of customizing the look and behavior of CIMA.
• CIMA log formats - how to read and customize the logs CIMA generates.
• CIMA source catalogs - how to set up a source list for CIMA.
• CIMA configuration files - how to save CIMA configurations.
• CIMA buttons - an explanation of some common CIMA buttons and error handling.
• CIMA command file observing - a description of the commands and syntax used for CIMA command file observing.

• New observing capabilities - information about new observing capabilities being added to CIMA.
• Backends available with CIMA - a description of how the backends are supported by CIMA.
• CIMA data taking modes - a description of the different data taking modes for the backends supported by CIMA.
• The CIMAFITS headers - examples of the FITS-headers.
• Frequently asked questions about CIMA - a list of answers to some common questions.
• CIMA common problems - a list describing some common problems that can occur while observing with CIMA.

• The CIMA manual for spectral line observations - Note, this is a 15 MB PostScript file and it is old.
• Remote Observing with the Arecibo Telescope - instructions for running CIMA remotely written by Paulo Freire.
• CIMA setup for pulsar observations - instructions written by Paulo Freire.
• CIMA-PUPPI A guide for pulsar observations with PUPPI backend.

CIMA logs

There are five log pages available which reflect changes made to the CIMA system since October 2004:

• The CIMA version log which lists the differences between the different CIMA versions.
• The CIMA version history log which lists the dates when the different CIMA versions have been updated.
• The CIMA user's log which chronologically lists changes made to CIMA that may be relevant to an observer.
• The CIMA engineering log which lists engineering changes made to CIMA that probably are of less interest to an observer.
• The CIMAFITS log which lists changes made to the Arecibo FITS-format and the FITS-writing back-ends.

CIMA development

These pages contain material used by the CIMA users working group which has been set up to discuss and decide on future improvements of CIMA.

• The CIMA users working group - which plans the future of CIMA.
• The CIMA to do list - containing a list of problems and suggested improvements.

Old CIMA pages

These pages have all been assembled by Jeff Hagen and refers to CIMA before October 2004. These pages are thus not up-to-date but still contains some useful information about CIMA. As the information gets updated it will be moved to some of the CIMA pages mentioned above.

• CIMA primer - an introduction to the AO user interface.
• The WAPPs - the Wideband Arecibo Pulsar Processors. This is very much the CIMAFITS log up to October 2004.
• WAPP spectral line FITS document - a description of the CIMAFITS format.
• WAPP spectral line observing - some notes.
• Van Vleck correction on the WAPPs - 3 and 9 level Van Vleck corrections.
• The aostatus display window - installation and example.
• Continuum observing at the Arecibo 305m console - instructions by Phil Kronberg and Chris Salter.
• The WAPPMASK FITS-header parameter - an explanation of its contents.
• Apparent coordinates - an explanation.

This page was last updated on 13 September 2018.