SCUBA-2 Simulator

SMURF has the capability to produce simulated data from SCUBA-2 with the sc2sim task. The simulator samples an input astronomical image in the presence of a model atmosphere and other sources of noise. Output files are written in the same format as real data from SCUBA-2 with complete flatfield, WVM, WCS and JCMT state structure information. These files can be processed with other SMURF tasks. Model atmospheres may be generated with the skynoise task.

The simulator supports the primary observing modes: DREAM, STARE and SCAN along with FLATFIELD, POINTING and FOCUS observations. Rudimentary support exists for the SCUBA-2 polarimeter though this is untested. Instrument apertures may be set (offsets which adjust the tracking position to a specific subarray), and microsteps (small offsets from the tracking position) are fully supported. Simulating the motion of the major Solar System bodies (Venus, the Moon, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) is supported.

For SCAN observations, the simulator has two modes controlled by the SIMTYPE parameter. A FULL simulation generates simulated complete astronomical data including the effect of the atmosphere. A WEIGHTS simulation generates data which may be used to assess areal coverage and `hit' density (i.e. the number of times a point on the sky is observed) for different mapping strategies or the impact of non-working bolometers. Several different scanning models are supported: boustrophedon (conventional back-and-forth raster scan), two variations of `pong' (or box-scan) with either sharp or gentle turnarounds and a lissajous pattern. [REF TO ANA SCAN DOC]