The CASA software for radio astronomy: status update from ADASS 2019

TL;DR

CASA software, essential for radio astronomy data processing, has been significantly upgraded with new features like enhanced Python support, VLBI capabilities, and improved visualization, boosting its performance and usability.

Contribution

This paper provides an update on CASA's recent developments, including new functionalities and performance improvements, enhancing its role in radio astronomy data analysis.

Findings

Introduction of CASA 6 with increased Python flexibility

Support for VLBI data processing added

Performance gains through parallel imaging and visualization tools

Abstract

CASA, the Common Astronomy Software Applications package, is the primary data processing software for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and NSF's Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and is frequently used also for other radio telescopes. The CASA software can process data from both single-dish and aperture-synthesis telescopes, and one of its core functionalities is to support the data reduction and imaging pipelines for ALMA, VLA and the VLA Sky Survey (VLASS). CASA has recently undergone several exciting new developments, including an increased flexibility in Python (CASA 6), support of Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), performance gains through parallel imaging, data visualization with the new Cube Analysis Rendering Tool for Astronomy (CARTA), enhanced reliability and testing, and modernized documentation. These proceedings of the 2019 Astronomical Data Analysis Software & Systems (ADASS) conference give an update of the CASA project, and detail how these new developments will enhance user experience of CASA.