From jbauer at nrao.edu Fri May 2 12:54:06 2003 From: jbauer at nrao.edu (Janet Bauer) Date: Fri, 2 May 2003 12:54:06 -0400 Subject: [alma_na] Next NA Division Heads Telecon on Monday, 5th May Message-ID: <002e01c310cb$71beefd0$bb7521c0@cv.nrao.edu> The next North American Division Heads meeting will take place on Monday, 5th May beginning at 1:00 ET / 1700 UTC time. Dial in information is listed below May 5 1 p.m. ET 1700 UTC ALMA NA DH Meeting Calendar: multiple cals Audio/Video/Both/Local: Audio (434-295-1363) Details: CVOIC/SOC280 Tucson calling in from office(s) Have a great weekend! Janet Janet Bauer ALMA Project Secretary NRAO - ALMA North American Project Office 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 226 Charlottesville, VA 22903 434.296.0296 (phone) 434.296.0455 (fax) jbauer at nrao.edu (E-mail) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jbauer at nrao.edu Mon May 5 10:34:42 2003 From: jbauer at nrao.edu (Janet Bauer) Date: Mon, 5 May 2003 10:34:42 -0400 Subject: [alma_na] NA Division Heads Meeting is cancelled today, maybe scheduled later this week Message-ID: <001401c31313$77646380$bb7521c0@cv.nrao.edu> Janet Bauer ALMA Project Secretary NRAO - ALMA North American Project Office 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 226 Charlottesville, VA 22903 434.296.0296 (phone) 434.296.0455 (fax) jbauer at nrao.edu (E-mail) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dsramek at aoc.nrao.edu Mon May 5 10:58:15 2003 From: dsramek at aoc.nrao.edu (Dick Sramek) Date: Mon, 05 May 2003 08:58:15 -0600 Subject: [alma_na] who is Amry Bauerle Message-ID: <3EB67C07.8B335860@aoc.nrao.edu> There is a person registered at the hotel for the ALMA Week block booking that I've not heard about: Amry Bauerle which IPT is he associated with? Institution? ..DS.. From jbauer at nrao.edu Tue May 6 14:23:59 2003 From: jbauer at nrao.edu (Janet Bauer) Date: Tue, 6 May 2003 14:23:59 -0400 Subject: [alma_na] Updating the Weekly Progress Reports Distribution List Message-ID: <001801c313fc$a9d48770$bb7521c0@cv.nrao.edu> Everyone, The distribution list for the weekly ALMA Progress Report needs to be updated. I have listed the current subscriber list below. Please look it over and if you note people no longer working on the project, please let me know. If you notice folks who are missing that should be on this list, please forward their name and email to me. I would like to send out a revised list on Friday of this week. If you can get your information to me by end of day Thursday that would be great. Thanks! Janet Janet Bauer ALMA Project Secretary NRAO - ALMA North American Project Office 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 226 Charlottesville, VA 22903 434.296.0296 (phone) 434.296.0455 (fax) jbauer at nrao.edu (E-mail) mmawkrpt Subscribers Click on your address to visit your subscription options page. (Parenthesized entries have list delivery disabled.) 92 Non-digested Members of mmawkrpt: 1 Digested Members of mmawkrpt: * afarris at nrao.edu * akerr at nrao.edu * amarshal at nrao.edu * aperfett at nrao.edu * athompso at nrao.edu * avaccari at nrao.edu * awootten at nrao.edu * bbutler at nrao.edu * bglenden at nrao.edu * bporter at nrao.edu * bshillue at nrao.edu * btarr at nrao.edu * cbroadwe at nrao.edu * cjanes at nrao.edu * clangley at nrao.edu * dboyd at nrao.edu * demerson at nrao.edu * dfinley at nrao.edu * dfugate at nrao.edu * djenkins at nrao.edu * dkoller at nrao.edu * dmertely at nrao.edu * dsramek at nrao.edu * durbain at nrao.edu * ebryerto at nrao.edu * ehardy at nrao.edu * ekemp at nrao.edu * fgacon at nrao.edu * (fpatt at nrao.edu) * fstauffer at nrao.edu * gbehrens at nrao.edu * gediss at nrao.edu * glauria at nrao.edu * (gmoorey at nrao.edu) * gpetenci at nrao.edu * greiland at nrao.edu * hliszt at nrao.edu * jbanda at nrao.edu * jbauer at nrao.edu * jcampbel at nrao.edu * jcheng at nrao.edu * jeffland at nrao.edu * jfitzner at nrao.edu * jgreenbe at nrao.edu * jjackson at nrao.edu * jkingsle at nrao.edu * jmangum at nrao.edu * jmeadows at nrao.edu * jpayne at nrao.edu * jperez at nrao.edu * jpisano at nrao.edu * jwebber at nrao.edu * kcrady at nrao.edu * (lbeno at nrao.edu) * mbalister at nrao.edu * mholdawa at nrao.edu * mmetcalf at nrao.edu * mmetcalfe at nrao.edu * mpokorny at nrao.edu * mpospies at nrao.edu * mrafal at nrao.edu * msulliva at nrao.edu * nemerson at nrao.edu * nhorner at nrao.edu * npeerebo at nrao.edu * paltamir at nrao.edu * pcortes at nrao.edu * pdooley at nrao.edu * pnapier at nrao.edu * (pspuhler at nrao.edu) * pvandenb at nrao.edu * rbradley at nrao.edu * (rbrito at nrao.edu) * rbrown at nrao.edu * rescoffi at nrao.edu * rfreund at nrao.edu * rharris at nrao.edu * rheald at nrao.edu * rlong at nrao.edu * rmarson at nrao.edu * rsimon at nrao.edu * rtreacy at nrao.edu * soliver at nrao.edu * span at nrao.edu * sradford at nrao.edu * sthacker at nrao.edu * tnewton at nrao.edu * vgasho at nrao.edu * wbrundag at nrao.edu * wgrammer at nrao.edu * wlakatos at nrao.edu * wwireman at nrao.edu * jchang at nrao.edu _____ mmawkrpt list run by jbauer at nrao.edu mmawkrpt administrative interface (requires authorization) Delivered by Mailman version 2.0.8 Python Powered GNU's Not Unix Mailman home page Python home page GNU home page -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2022 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.gif Type: image/gif Size: 1273 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3049 bytes Desc: not available URL: From dsramek at aoc.nrao.edu Tue May 6 18:26:36 2003 From: dsramek at aoc.nrao.edu (Dick Sramek) Date: Tue, 06 May 2003 16:26:36 -0600 Subject: [alma_na] ALMA Week - Victoria V4.0 Message-ID: <3EB8369C.27D87480@aoc.nrao.edu> Attached is the latest agenda and participant list for ALMA Week. There are a few people that told us they can't attend, so we could issue a few more invitations. If any IPT leads feel they'd like to add a name or two, please let me know. The agenda has been rearranged a bit to avoid conflicts. There are still open afternoon sessions for inter IPT meetings et cet. Also will also be a couple of small meeting rooms available for discussions. Let me know if you have any changes. If anyone has needs beyond a PC projector or viewgraph projector, please contact James Di Francesco. ..DS.. -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Agenda V4_0.xls Type: application/msexcel Size: 27136 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Participants.xls Type: application/msexcel Size: 23040 bytes Desc: not available URL: From ldaddario at nrao.edu Fri May 9 13:02:31 2003 From: ldaddario at nrao.edu (Larry D'Addario) Date: Fri, 9 May 2003 10:02:31 -0700 Subject: [alma_na] ALMA System Block Diagram Procedures Message-ID: <16059.57127.631781.587191@brador.tuc.nrao.edu> To the ALMA technical staff, You'll recall that Rev F of the System Block Diagram, document 80.04.01.00-004, was released on March 21 (see my email of that date). Since then, Jeff Zivick and I have received many comments and proposals for corrections. We appreciate these, and the next revision (now in preparation) will incorporate many of them. In this process, it has become apparent that maintaining the block diagram as an accurate representation of the ALMA telescope design is a complicated task. It is also apparent that many people would like to rely on it as a primary reference document. Errors, omissions, or ambiguities may then cause confusion or worse. Therefore, I want to attempt here to clarify what the block diagram does and does not contain. Earlier versions of this document (through Rev E) were intended to show only the "system level" design. As such, it was considered a *controlling* document, like a specification, from which deviations were not permitted without suitable review. In response to requests that more detail be included, the SE IPT decided that the block diagram should be a *reporting* document, so that current and future versions should attempt to show things below system level that are under the control of various IPTs other than SE; the diagram is then reporting the design information provided by the responsible IPT. It should be obvious that not every detail can be shown, so we use our best judgment in deciding what to include, based on the principle that it should be enough to provide a clear understanding of how the telescope works. The following statement is intended to make this more precise. A copy can be found on ALMAEDM as document 80.04.01.00-006. SYSTEM BLOCK DIAGRAM -- DEFINITIONS AND PROCEDURES The ALMA System Block Diagram document contains two main kinds of information: 1. system level design information, including but not limited to the configuration of the main signal path, the assignment of functions to major subsystems, interconnections among major subsystems, locations of major assemblies, and some (but not all) parameters like frequencies, bandwidths, and signal levels; and 2. subsystem design information, sufficient to provide a clear understanding of the telescope's functioning, including some subsystem design parameters. Information in category 1 is determined by the Systems Engineering IPT and is controlling of the ALMA design. Information in category 2 is based on documented design decisions of other IPTs. To be considered a "documented design decision" the information must be in an engineering drawing, specification, or other design document that is (a) accessible to all ALMA staff members (preferably on ALMAEDM), and (b) capable of being referenced in a concise manner (preferably by ALMA document number) and easily located from that reference. It is explicitly *not* required that such documents have project-level approval, nor have passed any formal review, nor be in any pre-defined format. (However, some documents are not acceptable for this purpose, including for example: slides shown at meetings; minutes of meetings; email correspondence; notes on verbal communications; proposals, discussion documents, and anything that is speculative or tentative on its face; and ALMA Memos, except when included by reference in an engineering document). To have design decisions reported on the block diagram, the responsible engineer should provide the appropriate reference to the SE IPT. While the block diagram will not normally show these references, the authors of the block diagram should be able to provide them upon request. In practice, many design decisions in ALMA are not yet adequately documented. Others are uncertain, subject to change, or in flux. Some design issues are simply undecided. In a few cases, engineering documents provide conflicting information or are known to be obsolete. Until these matters are resolved, it is necessary for the block diagram to contain a third kind of information: 3. tentative design information, usually at the subsystem level or device level. Where documented design decisions are not available, the authors of the block diagram, on behalf of the SE IPT, will show what they consider to be the most likely or most reasonable design. Such information will be updated only when the corresponding design is documented. The block diagram will attempt to show, by footnotes, when information is tentative. But to avoid clutter and because information is often of mixed type, it cannot be guaranteed that all appropriate items will be so marked. It is a goal of the SE IPT that new documented design decisions will be reflected in the system block diagram within 30 days after the appropriate references are provided, but it cannot be guaranteed that this goal will always be met. From jbauer at nrao.edu Fri May 16 09:27:41 2003 From: jbauer at nrao.edu (Janet Bauer) Date: Fri, 16 May 2003 09:27:41 -0400 Subject: [alma_na] NA DH Teleconference on Monday, 19th May Message-ID: <000c01c31bae$ed103e30$bb7521c0@cv.nrao.edu> Hi Everyone, The next NA DH Teleconference will take place on Monday, 19th May at 1:00 pm ET or 1700 UTC Time. The dial-in information is below. May 19 1 p.m. ET 1700 UTC ALMA NA DH Meeting Calendar: multiple cals Audio/Video/Both/Local: Audio (434-295-1363) Details: CVOIC/SOC280/TUCN505 If you cannot attend the meeting, please let me know. Thanks. Janet Janet Bauer ALMA Project Secretary NRAO - ALMA North American Project Office 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 226 Charlottesville, VA 22903 434.296.0296 (phone) 434.296.0255 (fax) jbauer at nrao.edu (E-mail) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jbauer at nrao.edu Mon May 19 15:10:44 2003 From: jbauer at nrao.edu (Janet Bauer) Date: Mon, 19 May 2003 15:10:44 -0400 Subject: [alma_na] Your Availability for IPT Meeting Message-ID: <001201c31e3a$58d90560$bb7521c0@cv.nrao.edu> Everyone, Please email me with your availability and travel schedule from 15th June through the 25th of July. We are looking for two days together, preferably in Charlottesville, where we can hold an North American ALMA IPT Meeting with the main goal of having Fred Lo here to be able to sit down and talk to you all together and then individually. If you are traveling, please let me know the dates and where you will be - there is a chance that we may hold the meeting at another NRAO site. Please email this information to me by COB on Wednesday, 21st May. Thanks, Janet Janet Bauer ALMA Project Secretary NRAO - ALMA North American Project Office 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 226 Charlottesville, VA 22903 434.296.0296 (phone) 434.296.0255 (fax) jbauer at nrao.edu (E-mail) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From soliver at nrao.edu Wed May 21 15:29:08 2003 From: soliver at nrao.edu (Stacy Oliver) Date: Wed, 21 May 2003 12:29:08 -0700 Subject: [alma_na] [almanews] ALMA Memos 456 and 459 Released Message-ID: ALMA MEMO #456 Characteristics of a Reflector Antenna : Parameters, graphs and formulae for Cassegrain systems with Mathematica expressions for numerical computation Jaap Baars April 2003 Keywords: Antenna theory, Cassegrain antenna, Mathematica, Radio antenna, Radio telescope In this report I collect data on the characteristics of a reflector antenna in the form of Figures and Formulae. The goal is to make available in one place information which is useful for the analysis of antenna measurements and radio astronomy observations. I discuss the illumination efficiency, axial and lateral defocus, pointing aspects, aperture blocking and random surface errors. The computations and the derived illustrations are made with the aid of Mathematica and all Mathematica expressions are included at the end of the report. This collection of data is an extension of my earlier summary of antenna parameters, issued as and NRAO Electronic Division Internal Report (EDIR), No. 57 of August 1966. Some of the figures of that report are included here. View a pdf version of ALMA Memo #456. http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma456/memo456.pdf _______________________________________________________________________________________________________ ALMA MEMO #459 Investigation of Anomalous Fast Phase Fluctuations in the Site-Test Interferometer Data from Chajnantor Sally Hales, Richard Hills, Yasmin Robson, John Richer (MRAO, Cambridge), Guillermo Delgado, Angel Otarola (Onsala Space Observatory and ESO), Simon Radford (NRAO) 2003-05-14 Keywords: Phase fluctuations, site-test interferometer, ionosphere, scintillation ALMA Memos 332 and 361 reported test comparisons between phase fluctuations predicted by line-of-sight PWV measurements from 183-GHz water-vapour radiometers at Chajnantor and the phase signal measured by the NRAO site-test interferometer observing an 11.2-GHz. geostationary satellite beacon. Though data from the two methods showed good correlation for long periods, an unexpected strong high-frequency fluctuation was found to occur in the interferometer phase, sometimes persisting for several hours. No counterpart for this phenomenon was found in the radiometer data, but a similar effect was seen on the ESO site-test interferometer located on the same baseline but observing a different 11.2-GHz satellite. If the effect proved to be directly proportional to frequency it would lead to complete decorrelation of the astronomical signal at wavelengths of order one millimetre with no prospect of correction using the radiometer measurements. This memo reports investigations of the phenomenon to establish its likely physical origin and hence how it would scale to higher frequencies. We show that the phase variations are accompanied by amplitude variations, indicating some kind of scintillation effect. Moreover the inferred velocity of the underlying disturbances (or waves) is so high as to rule out their being any kind of small-scale tropospheric irregularities not visible to the radiometers; rather, it is consistent with typical propagation speeds of ionospheric disturbances. The occurrence and time of onset in the interferometer data appear to exhibit some agreement with Range-Time-Intensity (RTI) plots from the JULIA back-scatter radar experiments from the Jicamarca Radio Observatory in Peru. We present some statistics showing the incidence of the effect in the interferometer data over a 5-year period, revealing seasonal and diurnal patterns which suggest that the predominant cause is the post-sunset ionospheric disturbances well-known to occur at low magnetic latitudes and collectively termed Equatorial Spread F. View a pdf version of ALMA Memo #459. http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma459/Memo459.pdf _______________________________________________ Almanews mailing list Almanews at listmgr.cv.nrao.edu http://listmgr.cv.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/almanews From jbauer at nrao.edu Thu May 22 14:45:25 2003 From: jbauer at nrao.edu (Janet Bauer) Date: Thu, 22 May 2003 14:45:25 -0400 Subject: [alma_na] Meeting Minutes from the NA Division Heads Meeting of 19th May 2003 Message-ID: <003601c32092$4e8048d0$bb7521c0@cv.nrao.edu> Everyone, The minutes from the 19th May 2003 NA Division Heads Meeting is located on the ALMA EDM at: http://almaedm.tuc.nrao.edu/forums/alma/dispatch.cgi/1006northamerprojof fice/showFile/100210/d20030522183556/No/NADH%20Meeting%2019th%20May%2020 03.pdf A pdf copy is also attached. Regards, janet Janet Bauer ALMA Project Secretary NRAO - ALMA North American Project Office 2496 Old Ivy Road, Suite 226 Charlottesville, VA 22903 434.296.0296 (phone) 434.296.0255 (fax) jbauer at nrao.edu (E-mail) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From soliver at nrao.edu Fri May 23 11:37:50 2003 From: soliver at nrao.edu (Stacy Oliver) Date: Fri, 23 May 2003 08:37:50 -0700 Subject: [alma_na] [almanews] ALMA Memo 458 Released Message-ID: ALMA MEMO #458 Preliminary tests of Cartridge-Type Receiver System at Atacama Site M. Sugimoto (The University of Tokyo/NAO-J), Y. Sekimoto (NAO-J), S. Yokogawa (The Graduate University for Advanced Studies/NAO-J), T. Okuda (The University of Tokyo/NAO-J), K. Tatematsu (NAO-J), K. Kohno (The University of Tokyo), H. Ogawa (Osaka Prefecture University), K. Kimura (Osaka Prefecture University), K. Suzuki (Instrument Development Center of School of Science, Nagoya University), T. Minamidani (Nagoya University) 2003-05-14 Keywords: Cryostat, Cartridge, Cryocooler, ASTE We have developed a cartridge-type receiver system composed of three cartridge-type receivers and a cryostat, which is designed to test on the Atacama Submillimeter Telescope Experiment (ASTE). It was preliminary evaluated at Pampa la Bola (alt. 4800 m) in the northern Chile since November 2002. The cryostat, which can house 3 cartridge-type receivers, has been developed with following technologies; a central pipe and bellows structure to reduce mechanical vibration; simple and efficient thermal links for plug-in cartridges; 3-stage Gifford McMahon cryocooler and an outdoor compressor. Engineering models of band 3 (100 GHz), band 8 (500 GHz), and band 10 (800 GHz) cartridge-type receivers were independently developed with cartridge-test cryostats. They were integrated into the cryostat at NAOJ, then the system was shipped to the site. We confirmed that the system including three receivers operates as designed and the concept of cartridge-type receiver system is very promising for the ALMA. View a pdf version of ALMA Memo #458. http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma458/memo458.pdf Download a zipped postscript version of ALMA Memo #458. http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma458/memo458.zip _______________________________________________ Almanews mailing list Almanews at listmgr.cv.nrao.edu http://listmgr.cv.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/almanews From soliver at nrao.edu Fri May 23 14:51:29 2003 From: soliver at nrao.edu (Stacy Oliver) Date: Fri, 23 May 2003 11:51:29 -0700 Subject: [alma_na] [almanews] ALMA Memo 466 Released Message-ID: ALMA MEMO #466 Gain Stability: Requirements and Design Considerations Larry D'Addario 2003-05-22 A theoretical framework for discussing the effects of gain stability in radiometers is developed, clarifying the relationship between frequency domain and time domain measurements. The available literature on experimental results is reviewed with respect to the intrinsic gain fluctuations of HFET amplifiers and the temperature sensitivity of various other components used in radio telescope receivers. The results are applied to ALMA, where it is found that the sensitivity of broad-band total power radiometry is likely to be limited by gain fluctuations rather than thermal noise unless the present state-of-the-art is improved. This is true for both 10 Hz beam switching (via subreflector nutation) and rapid on-the-fly scanning. However, it is also found that at frequencies above 410 GHz fluctuations in atmospheric opacity due to turbulence will be worse than both thermal noise and receiver gain fluctuations a large fraction of the time; further study of the site testing data will allow this to be better quantified. View a pdf version of ALMA Memo #466. http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma466/memo466.pdf _______________________________________________ Almanews mailing list Almanews at listmgr.cv.nrao.edu http://listmgr.cv.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/almanews From ldaddario at nrao.edu Fri May 30 15:59:49 2003 From: ldaddario at nrao.edu (Larry D'Addario) Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 12:59:49 -0700 Subject: [alma_na] System Block Diagram Rev G released Message-ID: <16087.47157.658504.135460@brador.tuc.nrao.edu> The ALMA System Block Diagram has been updated. The latest release is Revision G, and it is available on ALMAEDM in the System Engineering workspace Documentation forum System Design folder as document number 80.04.01.00-004-G-DWG. Your attention is also called to document 80.04.01.00-006-A-GEN in the same folder. It describes the purpose and scope of the System Block Diagram and procedures for future updates. Jeff Zivick and I received input and comments from many people since the release of Revision F on 2003-Mar-14. We appreciate these and we believe that all have been addressed (to the extent now possible) in Revision G. --Larry D'Addario From soliver at nrao.edu Fri May 30 16:51:25 2003 From: soliver at nrao.edu (Stacy Oliver) Date: Fri, 30 May 2003 13:51:25 -0700 Subject: [alma_na] [almanews] ALMA Memo 4608 Released Message-ID: ALMA MEMO #460 MEASUREMENT OF GAIN COMPRESSION IN SIS MIXER RECEIVERS A. R. Kerr, J. Effland, S.-K. Pan, G. Lauria, A. W. Lichtenberger and R. Groves 2003-05-15 Keywords: Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor mixers, saturation, gain compression, dynamic range When an SIS mixer is partially saturated by broadband noise, it continues to exhibit a linear response to a small CW test signal, with the small-signal gain depending on the level of the saturating noise. This allows the CW test signal to be used as an indicator of the receiver gain in the presence of high-level noise. If not taken into account, gain compression can be a significant factor limiting the accuracy of high precision radio astronomy instruments. View a pdf version of ALMA Memo #460. http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma460/memo460.pdf _______________________________________________ Almanews mailing list Almanews at listmgr.cv.nrao.edu http://listmgr.cv.nrao.edu/mailman/listinfo/almanews