[mmaimcal] Aug 15: BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO

Al Wootten awootten at nrao.edu
Fri Aug 19 15:43:14 EDT 2005


Comments?

                     BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO
                            August 15 - August 29, 2005

******************************** THIS FORTNIGHT*********************************
An ALMA cost review will be held in Munich  Oct 13-16 to provide a detailed 
examination of the basis and self-consistency of the scope, cost, and schedule 
of the re-baselining options that have been developed by the Joint ALMA 
Office (JAO) at the request of the ALMA Board.  
----------------------------------------------------------------------
 FROM Z-MACHINES TO ALMA: (SUB)MILLIMETER SPECTROSCOPY OF GALAXIES
January 13-14, 2006,  North American ALMA Science Center, National Radio 
Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, Virginia
Preregistration is now possible at
               http://www.cv.nrao.edu/naasc/zmachines/
through October 21, 2005.      
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Past issues of this Calendar may be viewed at 
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/ALMACalendars.html
See also the JAO ALMA Calendar overview at:
http://www.alma.cl/alma_project
*******************************************************************************
General Happenings
Santiago: Activity centers on planning, especially for Rebaselining
documents and for the Cost Review.

AOS: 15 August: Science team leaves, having staked new configuration locations. 

NAASC:  First announcement issued for Z-machine workshop.
*******************************************************************************
DAILY CALENDAR (Times EDT ) see 
https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar
 Mon  15 August
Holiday in Europe, Chile
 Tue  16 	
10:30 AM-11:30 AM: JAO IPT Telecon
 Wed  17
10:30 PM-11:30 PM: NAScienceIPT teleconference 
             Archive: http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/ 
             Agenda: https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/MonthlyMeetings
 Thu  18 	
9:30 AM-11:00 AM: Management IPT Teleconference
 Fri 19	
 Sat 20	
 Sun 21
 Mon August 22
 Tue 23 
    16:00-17:00: PM NAScienceIPT teleconference (open to all interested parties)
                        (434)296-7082
                        Agenda: http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/
 Wed 24  
 Thu 25	 All Day	Amplitude Calibration Review, Grenoble
 Fri 26 
2:00-3:00 PM: ANASAC Telecon
 Sat 27
 Sun 28 
Astrochemistry throughout the Universe: Recent Successes and Current Challenges 
2005 August 29 - September 2; Asilomar, California
****************************** UPCOMING EVENTS ******************************
ALMA Calendar--https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar
    * Aug 25 -- Amplitude Calibration Review, Grenoble
    * Aug 26 -- ANASAC Telecon
    * Aug 29 -- Antenna meeting, Kilgore, Tx
    * Aug 29-Sept 2 -- IAU231, 'Astrochemistry throughout the Universe'
                 Asilomar, Ca
    * Sep 9-10 -- "Revealing the Molecular Universe", Berkeley, Ca
    * Sep 14 -- ESAC Meeting, Garching
    * Sep 15 -- European ALMA Board, Garching
    * Sep 16 -- ESO Committee of Council, Brussels
    * Sep 22-23 -- ACA System Review, Santiago Postponed, probably to 
                    Early Nov, Tokyo
    * Sep 24-30 -- JAO/IPT Meeting, OSF Postponed, probably to early Dec.
    * Sep 29-30 -- ESO Council (if needed)
    * Oct 1-2 -- ASAC Meeting, Santiago
    * Oct 5 -- ESO Finance Committee
    * Oct 6 -- Rolling Stones come to Scott Stadium, Charlottesville
    * Oct 13-16 -- ALMA Cost Review proposed, Munich
    * Nov 1-2 -- ALMA Board, Santiago
    * Nov 8-9 -- ESO Finance Committee
    * Dec 7-8 -- ESO Council Regular Meeting
    * Jan 4-7 -- URSI/NA, Boulder
    * Jan 12-14 -- ALMA Zmachines workshop
******************************* TECHNICAL NEWS *******************************
ALMA Memo # 530: Coherence estimation on the measured phase noise in Allan 
variance
Author: Hitoshi KIUCHI

Abstract:  In this memo, we discuss the coherence loss caused by the phase 
noise in order to find out the cause of dominant coherence source.  The 
coherence loss can be calculated from the measured phase stability in Allan 
variance.  The key of an interferometer is to maintain the signal coherence.  
In a connected interferometer, the instability of the frequency distributed 
by the common reference in central element is compensated for as a common 
noise.  On the other hand, the independent instability of each element 
decreases the signal coherence.  For ALMA, the instability of each antenna 
is independent; the LLC (Line length corrector), WMA (Warm multiplier 
assembly) and CMA (Cold multiplier assembly) are independent devices and/or 
mounted on an independent antenna.  The frequency standard (including signal 
transmission and multiplier chain) of ALMA must be stable over the long-time 
period (up to observation time) and the short-time period (coherent 
integration time for fringe detection) to maintain the coherence.  The 
measured stability of the atmosphere is about 10E-13  (tau < 1000 sec) of 
flicker frequency noise (receiving frequency: 4.2 GHz to 89 GHz).  Atmospheric 
phase scintillation degrades the coherence of interferometer data, which is 
independent of the phase fluctuation of the system phase noise.  The system 
phase noise must be less than phase noise of the atmosphere.   We will 
discuss the required phase stability and the coherence loss in the Allan 
variance.

Eventually, view a pdf version of ALMA Memo #530 at:
http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma530/memo530.pdf
******************************ALSO OF INTEREST*******************************
The call for new proposals for the observing period NOV 1, 2005 thru
APR 30, 2006 is posted on the SMA Observer Central website. The proposal
deadline is SEP 13, 2005. Proposers of Legacy Programs are expected
to give notice of intent to propose by AUG 25 (to help deal with
potential conflicts).

******************************************************************************
Please send information for upcoming calendars by Friday evening of the
preceding biweekly period to Jennifer Neighbours or Al Wootten via e-mail 
(jneighbo at nrao.edu or awootten at nrao.edu).

The calendar will be issued between late Friday and sometime on Monday by e-mail
to all NRAO scientific staff members and anyone else interested. A specific
mailing list, alma-info, has been created for anyone wishing to receive it.  
Past issues are available at 
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/ALMACalendars.html
_______________________________________________



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