Minutes of Nov 18, 2009

Preliminary Agenda

1. updates of action items and items in progress
   • From canSAS VI
     • SAS Portal
     • 1D and 2D data formats
     • Standards - Extension of mailing list archives
     • IGOR develper's progress?
     • Is there a need for a GISAS working group?
   • From last meeting
     • World SANS directory (SAXS?)
     • Anybody besides Bruker come to canSAS session?
     • Long pulse spallation source project update if any?
   • Any other working group etc update?
2. Discussion regarding next canSAS meeting in 18 months and in Sydney (see notes from canSAS-VI)
   • 18 months = when and where
   • Sydney meeting. what format?
3. Discussion on including other facility representation
4. Discussion of portal issues and possible repository of SAS information
   • e.g. data for windows and sample environments (see notes from canSAS-VI)
5. Other issues and/or news from around the world

Present

• Adrian Rennie (ARR)
• Rex Hjelm (RPH)
• Daniel Clemens (DC)
• Elliot Gilbert (EPG)
• Andrew Jackson (AJJ)
• Paul Butler (PDB)
• Nick Terrill (NT)
• Pete Jemian (PRJ)
• Ken Littrell (KL)
• Steve King (SMK)
• Young-Soo Han (Y-SH)
• Claudio Ferrero (CF)
• Mitsuhiro Shibayama (MS)

Minutes

1. updates of action items and items in progress
   • From canSAS VI
     • SAS Portal
       • Paul has investigated finding a student and has identified funds.
     • 1D and 2D data formats
       • Pete - Nexus code camp has lead to a SAS format definition that he will post the URL to so we can review it and comment.
       • http://trac.nexusformat.org/definitions/browser/trunk/applications/NXsas.nxdl.xml defines minimum set of tags/info for small angle scattering. NB - this is for monochromatic scattering only : TOF and GI not considered.
       • Timeline for NXDL? (AJJ) - PRJ says approx. 6 months.
       • AJJ - Make sure we are really talking about reduced data. What is needed to allow the NXsas to be used for TOF data?
       • PRJ/SK - Have added namespaces to handle wavelength dependent transmissions etc.
       • RPH/ARR - Handling different q-space maps / detector geometries?
       • CF - noting meeting : http://www.esrf.eu/events/conferences/hdf5/hdf5/
       • PRJ - Action: Review of NXsas format?
       • Action: Get some North American people to CF's meeting.
       • ARR to PRJ - any planned tools to read NXsas. Answer - Ideas: Translation app or browser/plotting app. Best answer would be strong bindings for various languages.
       • Watch and wait on nexus before leaping in to 2D.
       • PRJ - Licensing. Need debate within working group.
       • ARR - Update on 1D usage? ARR wrote to ILL (Andrew Harrison) regarding use of format and has had no response. AJJ - NCNR will support in next release. No other updates.
       • CF suggested that ARR goes to visit new SAS beamline at ESRF during his forthcoming visit.
     • Standards - Extension of mailing list archives
     • IGOR developer's progress?
       • AJJ Talked with Jan Ilavsky after Oxford canSAS-VI.
       • AJJ asked KL for his current code to test compatibility.
     • Is there a need for a GISAS working group?
       • Continue to hold on this. ARR - put high on agenda for next discussion. Should think about we should involve the reflectometry community.
       • ACTION: Mitsu Shibayama will contact expert in Korea about interest in 2D formats
   • From last meeting
     • World SANS directory (SAXS?)
       • ARR prodded Ralf and it was updated. ARR - people need to send Ralf Schweinsinfo. ACTION: NIST and ISIS will update.
       • http://www.ill.eu/instruments-support/instruments-groups/groups/lss/more/world-directory-of-sans-instruments/
       • ARR - PRJ was going to look at directory of SAXS. PRJ is going to build a web page with form for people to fill out. Essential PRJ is on it. Will await further report at next call.
     • Did any commercial instrument manufacturers besides Bruker come to canSAS session?
     • Long pulse spallation source project update if any?
       • ACTION: KL will send report (or link thereto) from Rome meeting as soon as it becomes available.
   • Any other working group etc update?
2. Discussion regarding next canSAS meeting in 18 months and in Sydney (see notes from canSAS-VI)
   • 18 months = when and where
     • Agreed. Probably focused on 1D/2D.
     • North Americans will formulate a plan for next meeting.
   • Sydney meeting. what format?
     • DC: Meeting should be before SAS so that the results of discussions can be presented in body of SAS meeting in session.
     • EPG : Suggests a 2day, Thu/Fri before SAS. No objections raised.
     • Who convene? Facilities? Location? Should we include Grazing Incidence and Reflection?
3. Discussion on including other facility representation
   • SSRL / PSI / AU Synch. ACTION: call participants to email Paul Butler with suggestions of SAS facility people who might be interested and should be invited to participate. Paul Butler will try then to make contacts.
4. Discussion of portal issues and possible repository of SAS information
   • e.g. data for windows and sample environments (see notes from canSAS-VI)
5. Other issues and/or news from around the world
   • Detectors for SANS
     • Koreans now have detector. Not tested with neutrons. ORNL have bioSANS detector working now. Local limit to 100 cps, global to 25000 cps.
     • RPH has his detector working OK with new power supplies
     • SMK - problems with discriminator cards. Gone through 5 total across two detectors.
     • KL - grounding and noise issues.
   • Long shutdowns
     • PDB - Repository of info about long shutdowns?
     • Could it go in SANS directory?
   • SANS/SAXS collaboration
     • ILL/ESRF can now do combined proposals for time on neutrons and x-rays. Initiative based around EMBL/ESRF/ILL - structural biology. ARR - noted that it is only for the biology programs. Any plans to broaden it? CF - in his mind yet, but nothing officially discussed. See if it works with biology and then makes sense to extend. CF will bring it up at next PSB/SAS partnership.
     • DC: BESSY2 and HMI combined center do it too.
     • ISIS/Diamond? SK - issues because Diamond is a separate entity. NT - need to discuss offline :)
   • Next conference call should be in late January, after the meeting at the ESRF.