[mmaimcal] FYI: 24 Oct 05 BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO
Alwyn Wootten
awootten at nrao.edu
Wed Oct 26 17:12:43 EDT 2005
Folks,
Comments, additions, excisions?
Thanks,
Al
BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO
Oct 24, 2005 - Nov 7, 2005
******************************** THIS FORTNIGHT*************************
Some 74 panel members, ALMA Personnel and assorted interested parties
met for the Cost Review of the rebaselined ALMA budget in
Garmisch-Partenkirchen 13-16 October. The committee noted:
- The science capability of a 50-antenna array is extremely exciting;
ALMA is an extremely exciting project for the future.
- The technical readiness level of ALMA is high - there is little risk
to the project from technical issues.
- The project has a management structure capable of running the project.
- The detailed information provided by the IPTs was of high quality; the
committee was very impressed with the efforts made. The IPTs have
developed robust plans containing adequate detail and in the most part
adequate contingency. Nothing obvious seems to be missing. The ALMA IPTs
appeared to be managed well.
- The Operations planning in place seems to be complete and accurate,
but we need to get on with Operations planning.
- The cost growth for the program appears to come from two areas: (1)
the original estimates were made with insufficient knowledge of the
scope of the project; (2) costs associated with the delays of the
antenna contracts and other activities.
- The committee is comfortable that the ALMA Cost Estimate, as
presented, represents a good estimate of the cost to complete the array
and can be adopted with confidence IF tight schedule discipline is
followed AT ALL LEVELS of the project.
- Hiring in many areas of the project needs to be planned and
implemented rapidly; the committee notes a concern that delays in
developing hiring procedures could have a significant impact to the
schedule (and therefore cost).
- The committee endorses the idea that the project must shift to a
"Build-to-Cost" mindset at this point.
In summary, the committee stated: "ALMA can be built to the current cost
estimate, provided funds are available", and "the estimates provided
appear to be robust and credible."
The response from the committee is pretty much as good as it could be,
so congratulations to everyone. More detailed comments on each IPT will
be presented in the final report.
T. Beasley
A. Russell
H. Rykaczewski
----------------------------------------------------------------------
The ALMA Board will meet in Santiago 31 Oct through 2 November.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
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: The AUI Board of Trustees meets in Santiago 26-27 October.
OSF: The AUI Board of Trustees will visit the ALMA site 28-29 October.
The Contractor's Camp is functioning; see http://www.alma.nrao.edu/
AOS: Construction of the AOS Technical Building continues.
ATF: Vertex continues to work on their antenna.
NAASC: Registration for the Z-Machines workshop has closed. 70
participants are expected: 19 speakers, 36 contributions (some talks,
some posters).
*******************************************************************************
DAILY CALENDAR (Times EDT ) see
https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar
Mon 24 October
Tue 25
10:30 AM-11:30 AM: JAO IPT Telecon
4:00 PM-5:00 PM: NAScienceIPT teleconference (open to all interested
parties) (434)296-7082
Wed 26
Thu 27
10:30 AM-11:30 AM: Management IPT telecon
Fri Oct 28
Sat Oct 29
Sun Oct 30
Mon Oct 31
All Day: Executive/JAO Meeting
Halloween
Tue Nov 1
All Saints Day Holiday, Chile
All Day: ALMA Board Meeting, Santiago
10:30 AM-11:30 AM: JAO IPT Telecon
4:00 PM-5:00 PM: NAScienceIPT teleconference (open to all interested
parties) (434)296-7082
Wed Nov 2
All Day: ALMA Board Meeting, Santiago
Thu Nov 3
All Day: ALMA Board Meeting Closed Session, Santiago
Fri Nov 4
Sat Nov 5
Sun Nov 6
****************************** UPCOMING EVENTS ****************************
ALMA Calendar--https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar
* Oct 26-27 -- AUI Board, Santiago
* Nov 1-2 -- ALMA Board, Santiago
* Nov 8-9 -- ESO Finance Committee
* Nov 8-9 -- ALMA-J Antenna SRR, Osaka
* Nov 10-11 -- ACA System Review, Tokyo
* Nov 21-22 -- SSR Meeting, Charlottesville
* Nov 30-Dec 1 -- National Science Board meets
* 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
standard deviation.
Author: Hitoshi KIUCHI
Abstract: In this memo, a technique for signal coherence loss
estimation for Interferometer is introduced. We discuss the coherence
loss caused by the phase noise in order to find out the cause of
dominant coherence-loss source, and introduce a concept of coherent
integration time. The coherence loss can be calculated from the
measured phase stability in Allan standard deviation. The key of an
interferometer is to maintain the signal coherence. In a connected
interferometer, the instability of the distributed common reference
signal 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 LLC (Line length corrector),
WMA (Warm multiplier assembly) and CMA (Cold multiplier assembly) are
independent and/or mounted on independent antennas. 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. We will discuss the required phase stability
and the coherence loss in the Allan standard deviation. This coherence
estimation is essential for the VLBI application. As a result, the ALMA
specification is good enough to keep the coherence, the estimated
instrumental coherence losses are 5 % in LO, and 10 % in total (exclude
atmospheric scintillation) at 938 GHz with over 260 sec coherent
integration time.
A pdf copy of this memo is on edm.alma.cl and will eventually appear at:
http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma530/memo530.pdf
******************************ALSO OF INTEREST**************************
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
------------------TENURE TRACK ASTRONOMER POSITIONS---------------------
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) invites outstanding
applicants for tenure track astronomer positions. In the next few years,
the NRAO expects to make one or two appointments per year. Appointments
are not restricted to radio astronomers. See
http://www.nrao.edu/administration/personnel_office/careers.shtml#tenure
---------------------------ALMA Postdocs--------------------------------
2006 Postdoc Position at the North American ALMA Science Center/ALMA
Construction
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory expects to invite applications
for a NRAO Postdoctoral appointment at the North American ALMA Science
Center in Charlottesville, Va. These positions provide 50% time for
independent research, with the remaining 50% assigned to project
and operational duties at the sites.
The position is funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation
through the ALMA Construction Project. See:
http://www.nrao.edu/administration/personnel_office/careers.shtml#alma
---------------------------------------------
2006 ALMA Postdoc Positions at ESO
For the first time this year, four dedicated ALMA/ESO fellowships will
be offered (two in Garching and two in Santiago) in addition to the several
regular fellowships offered at both places. Please see:
http://eso.org/gen-fac/adm/pers/vacant/fellows2005-6.html
******************************************************************************
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
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anyone wishing to receive it. Past issues are available at
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/ALMACalendars.html
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