[mmaimcal] Proposed phone meeting on configurations

[Al Wootten]

Dear colleague

I append a plan for making progress on configurations.  I would like to
discuss this with a small group of those who have been active in 
configuration discussions for ALMA in a teleconference.  I propose a
strawman time for this; please propose an alternate time if this is not
convenient.

Action: Phone meeting
======================================================================
Date:  22 December 1999

Time:   12:00 pm EST    (1700 UT, 1800 CET, 0900 PST)

Phone:  (804)296-7082   (CV SoundStation Premier Conference phone).

Motivation:
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The ALMA architecture and engineering site plan for Chajnantor is due 
on 1Q 2002, and the site construction is set to begin on 1Q 2003.  
Thus we should produce and offer a concrete configuration plan by 
early 2001, including real antenna pad positions, reconfiguration 
plans, etc...  

Goals:
======================================================================
Bring together (and perform) all relevant works to address the key 
questions related to array configurations and make decisions and
recommendations on each of the questions.  We want to at least narrow 
down the focus of the configuration work and produce hard decisions 
where necessary. 

Proposed approach:
======================================================================
We propose to form a "Configuration Working Group" (CWG), similar to 
the science software working group (and similar to the old MMA 
Configuration Working Group), composed of members from NRAO/MDC and the 
European parties and possibly outside observers/contributors.  The 
exact composition of the CWG is yet to be determined, and will be 
discussed in an early phone meeting (see below).  For the purpose of the first
phone meeting, I have not attempted to include Japanese participants, owing
to scheduling difficulties.  Morita-san will participate in the 
face-to-face meeting.

The CWG will be closely associated with the Imaging and Calibration 
(NRAO) and Science and Systems (Europe) groups, and the ASAC, and will
make recommendations to the AEC on all issues related to array 
configurations.

The CWG will meet for regular phone meetings and have occassional 
face to face meetings including the configurations PDR and CDR 
(timing and frequency of all to be determined). 

Phone Meetings
======================================================================

The frequency of phone meetings is to be determined, but to start 
things off (and to discuss the makeup of the CWG), we will have a 
kick-off phone meeting on 22Dec1999.  This phone meeting will begin at
1700 UT (1200 EST, 1000 MST, 0900 PST) - call in to (804)296-7082.  We
intend to have a second phone meeting on 05Jan2000, same time and 
number (though this may change given the results of the first phone 
meeting).

Invitees to initial phone meeting:
M. Yun, B. Butler, S. Radford, A. Wootten, L. Kogan, M. Holdaway, 
     D. Shepher, E. Fomalont (NRAO)
D. Woody, T. Helfer, L. Mundy (MDC)
S. Guilloteau, F. Viallefond, J. Conway, A. Webster (Europe)


Face to Face Meetings
======================================================================

We would like to have the first face to face meeting in 
March of 2000.  Of course this depends on the progress via the phone 
meetings.  In any case, we propose to have the first of the face to 
face meetings in Tucson.  Two days seems sufficient for this meeting.  
If we held it in Tucson, a good possible date is Monday-Tuesday, March
20-21.

Participants in the face to face meetings will be the members of the 
CWG, and possibly other members of the Imaging and Calibration and 
Science and Systems groups, and other NRAO, European, Japanese and outside 
observers/participants.


An Initial List of Topics to be Addressed and Discussed
======================================================================

1) Logistics
      Who is in the group?
      How often do we meet (both phone and face to face)?
         Monthly phone meetings?  more often?
         Report to ASAC meeting 10 March 2000?
         Face-to-face review 20-21 March 2000?
         PDR?

2) Basic configuration parameters: number, sizes (150 m to >10 km)
      is 64 antennas the right number to use?
      is 150m, 450m, 1.35km, 4km, 12km the right number/scaling for
         the configurations?
      should very complex optimization be attempted?

3) Styles (rings, donuts, sprials, etc...)
      Choosing antenna locations
         political issues 
         topography issues
      Imaging quality
         Status of current studies
            packages include miriad, Gildas, AIPS, AIPS++, Gypsy
               what are pros and cons of each?
         Future studies
            what is the metric we should use to guage the "quality"
               of a given hypothetical configuration?
            consistency of simulations
               what should the simulations have in common?
               should there be a "standard image library" and if
                  so what goes in it?
      Philosophy
         tapering
         configuration change frequency and style
         pad re-use
         operations impacts

4) Concrete plan for further progress.  
      Task assignment

Clear skies,
Al
+--------------------------------------------------------+
| Alwyn  Wootten   (http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/)	 |
| Project Scientist, Atacama Large Millimeter Array/US   |
| Astronomer, National Radio Astronomy Observatory       |        
| 520 Edgemont Road, Charlottesville, VA 22903-2475, USA |
| (804)-296-0329 voice             Help us build The ALMA|        
| (804)-296-0278 FAX               {>    {>    {>    {>  |
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