DOCUMENTATION

Documentation for VLA data reduction, image making, observing preparation, etc., can be found in various manuals. Most current manuals are available on-line via the World Wide Web (see Section 4.16). Those manuals marked by an asterisk (*) can be mailed out upon request, or are available for downloading from the NRAO website. Direct your requests for mailed hardcopy to Gayle Rhodes. Many other documents of interest to the VLA user, not listed here, are available from our website.

1. PROCEEDINGS FROM THE 1988 SYNTHESIS IMAGING WORKSHOP: Synthesis theory, technical information and observing strategies can be found in: `Synthesis Imaging in Radio Astronomy'. This collection of lectures given in Socorro in June 1988 has been published by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific as Volume 6 of their Conference Series.
2. PROCEEDINGS FROM THE 1998 SYNTHESIS IMAGING WORKSHOP: This is an updated and expanded version of Reference 1, taken from the 1998 Synthesis Imaging Summer School, held in Socorro in June, 1998. These proceedings are published as Volume 180 of the ASP Conference Series.

3. INTRODUCTION TO THE NRAO VERY LARGE ARRAY (Green Book): This manual has general introductory information on the VLA. Topics include theory of interferometry, hardware descriptions, observing preparation, data reduction, image making and display. Major sections of this 1983 manual are now out of date, but it nevertheless remains the best source of information on much of the VLA. Copies of this are found at the VLA and in the AOC, but no new copies are available. Much of this document is available for downloading through the NRAO's website.
4. *A SHORT GUIDE FOR VLA SPECTRAL LINE OBSERVERS: This is an important document for those wishing to carry out spectral- line observations with the VLA. The revised, 1995 version is still fairly current.
5. *AIPS COOKBOOK: The `Cookbook' description for calibration and imaging under the AIPS system can be found near all public workstations in the AOC. The latest version has expanded descriptions of data calibration imaging, cleaning, self- calibration, spectral line reduction, and VLBI reductions. See http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/aips/cook.html .
6. *GOING AIPS: This is a two-volume programmers manual for those wishing to write programs under AIPS. It is now somewhat out of date. See
   http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/aips/aipsdoc.html#GOAIPS .
7. *VLA CALIBRATOR MANUAL: This manual contains the list of VLA Calibrators in both 1950 and J2000 epoch and a discussion of gain and phase calibration, and polarization calibration. See http://www.vla.nrao.edu/astro/calib/manual/ .
8. *VLBI AT THE VLA. Everything you ever wanted to know about VLBI at the VLA. Presently somewhat out of date, but with a new revision expected in 2007. See
   http://www.vla.nrao.edu/astro/guides/vlbivla/current/ .
9. *The Very Large Array: Design and Performance of a Modern Synthesis Radio Telescope, Napier, Thompson, and Ekers, Proc. of IEEE, 71, 295, 1983.
10. *OBSERVE, A GUIDE FOR SPECTRAL LINE OBSERVERS. A tutorial manual for observers, with special emphasis on spectral line applications.
11. *HIGH FREQUENCY OBSERVING GUIDE. A web-based manual with a great deal of information for users about observing with the VLA 0.7 cm and 1.3 cm observing systems. See http://www.vla.nrao.edu/astro/guides/highfreq/ .
12. *VLA MEMO SERIES. See http://www.vla.nrao.edu/memos/ .
13. *EVLA MEMO SERIES. See http://www.aoc.nrao.edu/evla/memolist.shtml .