7.4 Output Rate

Correlation parameters should result in an output rate less than 10 MBytes per second (of observing time) for routine DiFX processing; higher rates may be considered if required and adequately justified. Observers should ensure that their data-analysis facilities can handle the dataset volumes that will result from the correlation parameters they specify.

An approximate parametrization of the output rate is given by

$$R = 4 \cdot { N_{\rm stn} \cdot ( N_{\rm stn} + 1) \cdot... ...\rm spc} \over T_{\rm int} } \cdot N_{\rm phc} \cdot p,$$ (1)

where the rate $R$, is in Byte/s; $N_{\rm stn}$, $N_{\rm chn}$, and $N_{\rm spc}$ are the numbers of observing stations, sub-bands, and spectral points per sub-band (Section 7.1), respectively; $T_{\rm int}$ is the correlator integration period (Section 7.2); and $N_{\rm phc}$ is the number of phase centers (Section 7.3). The polarization factor $p=1$ for single- or dual-polar (LL&RR) output; $p=2$ for cross-polar processing, generating all four Stokes parameters.

Output data rates are also estimated by SCHED.