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Non-Astronomical Usage of IRAF (1Jun95)
(from CCS, NOAO Newsletter No. 42, June 1995)

We always are pleased to hear about astronomical progress and results made
possible through the use of IRAF. Recently, I compiled a list of the
non-astronomical uses of IRAF to assess its level of importance in more
mundane applications. Since IRAF is distributed easily electronically without
our knowledge, there may be additional users outside the field of astronomy
that we are not aware of. Please let me know if you hear of other
non-astronomical usage.

1)  USC Neurosciences:
  Analyzing how the brain stores, codes, and retrieves information. IRAF
is being used to determine positions of activity centers in sectioned pieces of
brains. (See IRAF Newsletter No. 6, February 1989.)

2)  Chemistry Department, University of Arizona:
  As part of the human genome project (a large multi-national, 15-year
project to decode the human genetic material), IRAF is being used for
visualization of X-ray crystallographic CID images in an attempt to image
single molecules.

3)  National Air and Space Museum:
  A public Sun workstation was placed on the floor of the museum for
demonstration of image enhancements of real data.

4)  National Gallery of Art:
  Using IRAF to examine IR reflectivity images of art pieces to examine
what sketches lie underneath various art works. The Sun at the Space Museum
(see above) was used to verify the process with IRAF.

5)  Department of Biophysics, University of Maryland:
  Used IRAF for visualization of X-ray diffraction photographs.

6.  Department of Civil Engineering, University of Chile:
  Using FOCAS (not originally part of IRAF, but supported by the IRAF
group and uses IRAF auxiliary software) to determine centroids of particles to
trace their positions as a function of time. The centroids provide a means of
tracking particles in velocity flows through water channels.

7.  Biomedical Computer Laboratory, Washington University:
  Used SAOimage for visualization of electron-microscopic
autoradiography, positron emission tomography, optical-sectioning microscopy,
and DNA mapping and sequencing.

8)  Arete Associates:
  Oceanographic remote sensing and image simulations (defense related).

9)  Communications Research Laboratory, Tokyo, Japan:
  Using Laser radar images and IRAF to determine the amount of
aerosols in the atmosphere and to map the data.

10)  National Security Agency, Washington, DC:
  Security related use of IRAF imaging and analysis.

George Jacoby

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