Title:                  Introduction of subtables in MeasurementSet
Person responsible:     Bob Garwood (bgarwood@nrao.edu)
Originator of proposal: Tim Cornwell (tcornwel@nrao.edu)
Exploders targeted:     aips2-astro-design, aips2-gbt
Time table:
        Date of issue:          1996 January 26         Done
        Comments due:           1996 February 2         Done    
        Revised proposal:       1996 February 5         Done
        Final comments due:     1996 February 9         Done
        Decision date:          1996 February 12        Accepted

Statement of goals:
-------------------

        - To simplify columns in MeasurementSet. 
        - To allow MeasurementSet to store complicated sets of data 
such as that written by the VLBA correlator. 
        - To define common format for both SingleDish and Synthesis data. 

Proposed changes:
-----------------

In essence, subtables are to be used in place of many columns. Only
the principal data (e.g. Visibilities) and various coordinate and index
information are to be stored in the main table. The other information
(eg antenna characteristics) is to be stored in subtables attached as
table keywords. The MS is to be inclusive of information presented by
a telescope. 

For more details of this proposal see here

This proposal is accepted as is. We will implement a synthesis version
and then make a final proposal based upon that experience.