Apercal -- The Apertif Calibration Pipeline
B. Adebahr, R. Schulz, T. J. Dijkema, V. A. Moss, A. R. Offringa, A., Kutkin, J. M. van der Hulst, B. S. Frank, N. P. E. Vilchez, J. Verstappen, E., K. Adams, W. J. G. de Blok, H. Denes, K. M. Hess, D. Lucero, R. Morganti, T., Oosterloo, D.-J. Pisano, M. V. Ivashina

TL;DR
Apercal is an automated, modular calibration pipeline designed for the Apertif radio survey, enabling efficient processing of large data volumes to produce science-ready images with high dynamic range.
Contribution
It introduces a flexible, object-oriented, Python-based pipeline that processes Apertif survey data automatically, ensuring timely delivery of quality scientific data products.
Findings
Processed survey data within 24 hours per pointing
Achieved 44% image quality suitable for scientific use
Dynamic ranges of images reach several thousands
Abstract
Apertif (APERture Tile In Focus) is one of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) pathfinder facilities. The Apertif project is an upgrade to the 50-year-old Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) using phased-array feed technology. The new receivers create 40 individual beams on the sky, achieving an instantaneous sky coverage of 6.5 square degrees. The primary goal of the Apertif Imaging Survey is to perform a wide survey of 3500 square degrees (AWES) and a medium deep survey of 350 square degrees (AMES) of neutral atomic hydrogen (up to a redshift of 0.26), radio continuum emission and polarisation. Each survey pointing yields 4.6 TB of correlated data. The goal of Apercal is to process this data and fully automatically generate science ready data products for the astronomical community while keeping up with the survey observations. We make use of common astronomical software packages…
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