The ASTRI mini-array software system (MASS) implementation: a proposal for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

The ASTRI mini-array, composed of nine small-size dual mirror (SST-2M) telescopes, has been proposed to be installed at the southern site of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA), as a set of preproduction units of the CTA observatory. The ASTRI mini-array is a collaborative and international effort carried out by Italy, Brazil and South Africa and led by the Italian National Institute of Astrophysics, INAF. We present the main features of the current implementation of the Mini-Array Software System (MASS) now in use for the activities of the ASTRI SST-2M telescope prototype located at the INAF observing station on Mt. Etna, Italy and the characteristics that make it a prototype for the CTA control software system. CTA Data Management (CTADATA) and CTA Array Control and Data Acquisition (CTA-ACTL) requirements and guidelines as well as the ASTRI use cases were considered in the MASS design, most of its features are derived from the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array Control software. The MASS will provide a set of tools to manage all onsite operations of the ASTRI mini-array in order to perform the observations specified in the short term schedule (including monitoring and controlling all the hardware components of each telescope and calibration device), to analyze the acquired data online and to store/retrieve all the data products to/from the onsite repository

Political Parties And Political Developmet

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The Assessment and Evaluation of Noneconomic Environments by American Firms: A Preliminary Report

This paper reports preliminary results of a study of how relatively large U.S. international firms asses noneconomic environment, how the resulting evaluations are integrated into decision making or planning, and how the process affects managerial strategy. A mailed survey of 455 firms was followed up by personal interviews with approximately 113 managers in 37 firms selected via a stratified quota sample of respondents. Findings support a conclusion that assessment and evaluation of nonmarket environments is emerging as a new managerial function in relatively large international firms. Over half of the respondents indicated that they have a group or groups which have been assigned formal assessment responsibility, both the survey results and interview data suggest a number of problems with current practice. Assessments appear to be reactive rather than active; the most important sources of information about environments are internal to the firm; assessments are typically not conducted independently of an investment or planning proposal; and resulting evaluations serve as a context in which decisions are taken rather than as input to a decision-making process.© 1980 JIBS. Journal of International Business Studies (1980) 11, 32–47