[mmaimcal]DRSP for early science

[Stephane Guilloteau]

Bryan,

    I fully support your point of view. The DRSP is a "Design Reference Science Program", and
I don't believe we shall design the intermediate status of ALMA just for some "early science" which will
be superseded quickly in the next 3 years...  The intermediate status of ALMA can derive from much 
simpler considerations:
    - there will still be construction, and we don't want to delay the final delivery
    - we won't start from the largest array
    - but ALMA will be unique in 2 ways during the early science
        - its sub-mm capabilities
        - and its high angular resolution
    although sensitivity will not be at the best at that time.
    (polarisation may or may not be a unique aspect of ALMA at that time)
    - ALMA will have to show QUICKLY some UNIQUE results (the taxpayer argument...)

So the message to the project is rather
    "Let's get SOME long baselines quickly"

        Stephane

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S. Guilloteau
L3AB
Observatoire Aquitain des Sciences de l'Univers
2 rue de l'Observatoire
BP 89
F-33270 Floirac
  Phone:  (33) 557 77 61 68