{
  "$schema": "https://themachinepress.com/schemas/story-v1.schema.json",
  "schema_version": "1.0.0",
  "document_type": "machine_press_story",
  "story": {
    "story_id": "mp-2026-08-03-013",
    "source_story_id": "tmp-story-vapola-alma-polarization-archive",
    "edition_id": "mp-2026-08-03-morning-0025",
    "edition_url": "https://themachinepress.com/edition/2026-08-03",
    "position": 13,
    "story_type": "dispatch",
    "section": "infrastructure",
    "editorial_classification": "editorial",
    "headline": "ALMA's Hardest Polarization Data Got a Public Loading Dock",
    "slug": "alma-s-hardest-polarization-data-got-a-public-loading-dock",
    "dek": "VAPOLA turns specialized phased-array observations of active galaxies and the Galactic center into science-ready products.",
    "summary": "VAPOLA turns specialized phased-array observations of active galaxies and the Galactic center into science-ready products.",
    "body_text": "The VAPOLA repository uses an automated pipeline to create calibrated visibilities, full-Stokes images, polarization and spectral-index maps, fitted parameters and calibration metadata from ALMA observations made during global very-long-baseline campaigns. The first release lowers the expertise barrier for work on jets, accretion flows and Sgr A*. Its value is reusable infrastructure; scientific conclusions still depend on each analysis.",
    "why_it_matters": "VAPOLA turns specialized phased-array observations of active galaxies and the Galactic center into science-ready products.",
    "limitations": [],
    "importance": 8,
    "canonical_url": "https://themachinepress.com/story/mp-2026-08-03-013/alma-s-hardest-polarization-data-got-a-public-loading-dock",
    "json_url": "https://themachinepress.com/story/mp-2026-08-03-013.json",
    "first_published_at": "2026-08-03T09:00:00.000-04:00",
    "modified_at": "2026-08-03T09:00:00.000-04:00",
    "content_status": "new",
    "is_carryover": false,
    "carryover_reason": null,
    "key_claims": [
      {
        "claim_id": "claim-mp-2026-08-03-013-001",
        "text": "VAPOLA turns specialized phased-array observations of active galaxies and the Galactic center into science-ready products.",
        "source_ids": [
          "source-2026-08-03-013"
        ],
        "qualification": null
      }
    ],
    "source_ids": [
      "source-2026-08-03-013"
    ],
    "tags": [
      "ALMA",
      "polarization",
      "open data",
      "black holes"
    ],
    "image_url": "https://themachinepress.com/issues/2026-08-03/vapola-signal-file-image.webp",
    "corrections": []
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "source_id": "source-2026-08-03-013",
      "title": "Astronomy & Astrophysics: VAPOLA ALMA polarization archive",
      "publisher": "EDP Sciences",
      "url": "https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202660646",
      "canonical_url": "https://doi.org/10.1051/0004-6361/202660646",
      "source_type": "secondary_reporting",
      "is_primary_source": false,
      "published_at": null,
      "accessed_at": "2026-08-03T08:27:38.249-04:00",
      "supports_claim_ids": [
        "claim-mp-2026-08-03-013-001"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "corrections": [],
  "publisher": {
    "name": "The Machine Press",
    "url": "https://themachinepress.com",
    "description": "A daily newspaper for the age of artificial intelligence."
  },
  "cite_this_report": {
    "title": "ALMA's Hardest Polarization Data Got a Public Loading Dock",
    "publisher": "The Machine Press",
    "published_at": "2026-08-03T09:00:00.000-04:00",
    "canonical_url": "https://themachinepress.com/story/mp-2026-08-03-013/alma-s-hardest-polarization-data-got-a-public-loading-dock"
  }
}