%++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ %.COPYRIGHT (c) 1993 European Southern Observatory %.IDENT baas93.tex %.PURPOSE Annual report for IAU FITS Working Group 1992 % Bulletin of American Astronomical Society. %.COMMENTS Process with LaTeX %.AUTHOR P.Grosbol %.VERSION 1.0 1992-Mar-31 : Creation, PJG %---------------------------------------------------------------------- FITS IAU FITS Working Group Preben Grosbol European Southern Observatory This report covers main events and activities concerning the FITS standard for the period March 1991 to March 1993. IAU FITS Working Group The FITS Working Group met during a meeting of Commission 5 at the IAU General Assembly XXI in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Due to the distant location, only a limited number of members participated. Main activities have included the acceptance of the Floating Point Agreement and discussions on new proposals. The Group is chaired by P. Grosbol (ESO) with D. Wells (NRAO) as vice-chairman. NASA FITS Support Office The office was given very substantial help to the FITS community by providing documentation and clarification on FITS issues. Beside its direct support activities, it has initiated the creation of a standard document for the Implementation of FITS (current version NOST 100-0.3b). This document gives a concise definition of FITS consistent with the IAU recommendations. In addition, the office has issued a User's Guide which gives a good general introduction to FITS. The office is coordinated by B. Schlesinger. Network News Group During the fall of 1991, D. Wells made a network News group for discussions of FITS matters. It was combined with an e-mail exploder because the USEnet News facility is not available at all sites. A successful vote on the creation of an official News group sci.astro.fits was made in the spring of 1992. This News group has already been of great value by broadening the discussion of the FITS standard. It gives a natural forum for reviewing new proposals and suggestions. Further, it provides a convenient tool to obtain clarifications or solutions on FITS problems. Proposals and Agreements Three proposal for extensions to the FITS standard were submitted for Binary Tables, Images and Blocking. The Binary Table extension provides higher efficiency by using binary storage of data instead of only ASCII representation as in the current Table format. Further, it allows table entries to be arrays, opening the possibility to transport spectra and images as single entries. The Image extension enables matrices of different size or data type to be saved in the same FITS file. It corresponds closely to basic FITS and is useful for auxiliary data such as PSF's or quality flags. The Blocking convention specifies the rules for recording FITS files on different media e.g. 8mm Exabyte, QIC and DDS/DAT cartridges. It also gives general recommendation for FITS on magnetic disks. All three proposals were submitted to the regional FITS groups in the spring of 1992 for discussion and recommendation. The European FITS Committee passed a motion in support of the proposals in July 1992 through a formal vote. Final recommendations from the North American and Japanize groups are still pending. Availability Information on the FITS standard can be obtained via E-mail from the following Internet addresses: B. Schlesinger, NASA bschlesinger@nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov P. Grosbol, ESO pgrosbol@eso.org D. Wells, NRAO dwells@nrao.edu Documentation, general information and test data files are available on anonymous FTP to nssdca.gsfc.nasa.gov [128.183.36.23], ftphost.hq.eso.org [134.171.8.4] and fits.cx.nrao.edu [192.33.115.8].