canSAS-XI/SummaryDiscussion

Wrap-up - Summary of Discussions

Communications to the canSAS community

The use of Google groups does seem to be unsatisfactory. A new mail list server has been established for SASview and this can be used also for canSAS. AJJ will migrate the existing lists and all participants at the meeting will be included on the general list and invited to join the various working group lists.

Actions from Working Group Sessions

Several clear future actions emerged from individual break out sessions but also from informal discussion that led to links between the various working groups being reiterated.

• Sample Environment

• Grazing Incidence Scattering

• Data Formats
  • A request has been circulated for further example nxcanSAS data files to be provided on GitHub. In particular datafiles with real data are helpful.
  • A proposal for standard descriptions of reduced SESANS data will be developed so that this type of scattering data can be more readily used with regular software packages although this is not in the same form as other data that are primarily values of momentum transfer with associated intensity.

• Multiple Scattering
  • Efforts will be made to incorporate analysis of multiple scattering in the popular, community shared data analysis packages.
  • Example data sets, for example of scattering from well-characterized, spherical colloidal particles will be posted to web repositories to provide test data with known multiple scattering.

• Time-of-flight SANS Data reduction
  • A new working group co-ordinated by Anna Sokolova and Andrew Jackson has been established to resolve issues related to time-of-flight SANS data reduction. It is planned that there will be initial mail-list discussion and that a face-to-face meeting will then be arranged to resolve details of recommended procedures.

• Software
  • Several actions were identified in the discussions about software.
  • Dissemination of information is crucial for both instrument scientists and users. This could include video tutorials for selecting software program(s). It was suggested that this is an activity for the Dissemination Group.
  • Amongst improvements needed on Smallangle.org, it would be helpful to separate out highly used software and mark those packages that are supported and those that have no current supported.
  • Networking grants could be an effective means to bring people together to work on development of software. Specific funding opportunities need to be identified.

• Information and Dissemination
  • The advantages of provision of material and making it widely accessible mean that renewed activity in this area is required. It is planned to hold a code-camp to work on updating the SAS portal to a more modern, attractive design. This should also aim to make material easier to find and what is relevant for different target groups such as prospective users, existing users, instrument specialists etc., can be readily identified.

• Standardisation
  • There are continued needs for activities to provide comparison of data measured with different instruments. Pressing needs were recognised in two areas that have not previously been covered: (a) for the extended Q-range covered by USAXS, USANS and SESANS and (b) for GISAS both with X-rays and neutrons. Ideally materials could be measured with both radiation probes for effective comparison and cross-calibration.

Plans for Future canSAS meetings

There is considerable enthusiasm to hold future canSAS meetings. It is necessary to decide both when and where workshops should be held. Timing should avoid clashes or proximity to major relevant conferences such as the IUCr congress in 2020, which will have considerable SAS related content, and SAS-2021. It is also necessary to allow some time between workshops for the individual work groups to make progress on their agreed actions. It is possible to envisage making plans now for the next two meetings.

Offers to host meetings have been received from: