[mmaimcal] FYI: 14-28 Jan BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO
Al Wootten
awootten at nrao.edu
Wed Jan 30 12:58:59 EST 2008
Folks
Comments, contributions or cracks?
Clear skies,
Al
at the OSF
BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO
14 Jan 2008 - 28 Jan 2008
******************************** THIS FORTNIGHT*************************
The first interferometric spectrum has been obtained at the ALMA Test
Facility. Todd Hunter, Robert Laing and ALMA operators Hector Alarcon
& Roberto Aviles obtained a spectrum of the Orion Hot Core centered on
the CS(2-1) line at 98 GHz on 19 January 2008. With routine
interferometry continuing on continuum sources, acquisition of a
molecular line spectrum was the next step. It was achieved the first
time it was tried. A descriptive account circulated by Debra Shepherd
may be obtained at:
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/ATF_first_spectrum.pdf
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On 17 January Richard Wade, Chair of the ALMA Board, announced that
Professor Thijs de Graauw (SRON and Leiden University, Netherlands) has
agreed to accept the position of ALMA Interim Director, effective 1
April 2008. Thijs is a world expert in (sub)milimeter astronomy, with
excellent instrumental credentials, and substantial experience in
coordinating large international projects.
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In other Board news, the ALMA Board seat held by Dr. J. Sunley, of the
Division of Mathematics and Physical Sciences (MPS) at the National
Science Foundation (NSF), will be assumed by Dr. Tony Chan, Director of
MPS as Dr. Sunley will move to a different division within NSF.
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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
Photos of activity may be found at:
http://www.alma.nrao.edu/almanews/almagallery/index.html
Sky: Mars shines in the East after sunset, slowly growing fainter. The
moon is now waning towards new moon, the occasion of an annular eclipse
of the Sun viewable from the southern ocean near Antarctica. The
following full moon will bring a lunar eclipse ideally timed for North
American viewing, with totality near 8 pm EST on 20 Feb????
AOS (Array Ops Site, 16570ft altitude): Grading of the region where the
central antenna cluster will begin in the next months. ACA Correlator
Control Computers were installed at the AOS. Interface inspection was
performed for the power lines and sockets for the ACA Correlator and
Computer system, and Site IPT and NAOJ jointly made preliminary
interface tests for air conditioning and O2 enrichment in the correlator
room. The Altiplano Winter, a feature of the summer at Chajnantor, has
begun with considerable snow and rain. Some shoulder damage caused by
rain was reported on the Calama-San Pedro road.
OSF (Ops Support Facility, 9600ft altitude): As the ALMA camp is often
full and so are many hotels in San Pedro, a camp extension is under
construction. Installation of remaining elements of metrology system on
Vertex/RSI antenna #1 will begin this fortnight. Both transporters left
Antwerp in December and are on the high seas en route to Chile with
arrival expected by 6 Feb. AIV personnel are now at the OSF on a turno
system.
NAOJ conducted additional optical pointing tests to confirm the
performance of first ACA antenna from MELCO. The 4th ACA antenna was
mounted on the pad in the NAOJ Site Erection Facility area.
ATF: With dynamic interferometry now routine, a good baseline was
determined. First spectra were obtained (see front matter above).
NTC (NRAO Technology Center): For ALMA Font End (FE) No 1, the new
target date for shipment to Chile is Feb 15, which allows for a visit by
EU FE Integration Center (FEIC) staff January 15-17. Cryostat # 5
shipped to the NA FEIC. Preparations are under way for shipment of the
second two antenna correlator to Chile next fortnight. Most of the test
equipment prepared by
NRAO will be delivered to the EA-FEIC by the end of Janua
HIA: Band 3 cartridge: PAI for cartridge SN06 was held Jan 11
NAASC:
A calendar of NAASC events may be found at:
http://www.cv.nrao.edu/naasc/calendar/calendar.php
***************************************************************************
DAILY CALENDAR (Times EDT/EST ) see
https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar
Mon 14 Jan - Martin L. King Jr Birthday holiday, US
4:00PM: ATF telecon
Tue 15 Jan -
10:30AM: JAO/IPT telecon
Wed 16 Jan -
10:30AM: Sci IPT telecon
Thu 17 Jan -
Fri 18 Jan -
Sat 19 Jan -
Sun 20 Jan -
Mon 21 Jan -
4:00PM: ATF telecon
Tue 22 Jan -
10:30AM: JAO/IPT telecon
Wed 23 Jan -
Thu 24 Jan -
Fri 25 Jan -
9:00am: Science Operations Software Review, Santiago
Sat 26 Jan -
Sun 27 Jan -
Mon 28 Jan -
****************************** UPCOMING EVENTS *************************
Jan 15 ESAC face-to-face meeting Garching
Jan 18 ANASAC telecon ---
Jan 23-24 Nutator CDR ASIAA
Feb 1-2 ASAC face-to-face Santiago
Feb 7-8 WVR CDR Europe
Feb 27 Band 10 PDR Mitaka
******************************* TECHNICAL NEWS *************************
*****************************ALSO OF INTEREST***************************
The Cosmic Agitator - Magnetic Fields in the Galaxy
60 years of studies of the interstellar magnetic field
2008 March 26-29 Lexington. The magnetic field of the galaxy was
discovered in observations made in 1948. Since that time, the galactic
magnetic field has challenged (and often annoyed) observers and
theorists alike. This meeting will celebrate sixty years of studies of
the interstellar magnetic field, a field ALMA's transformational
capabilities will revolutionize. See http://thunder.pa.uky.edu/magnetic/
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Assistant Scientist (CASA) REQ NO: CV3682
SUMMARY: The National Radio
Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) invites applications for an astronomer,
software engineer, or physicist with experience in astronomical data
processing to develop data reduction software for the Atacama
Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) and the Expanded Very Large Array
(EVLA). The Common Astronomy Software Applications (CASA) package is
written primarily in C++ under a Python wrapper (for more information on
CASA, see http://casa.nrao.edu/).This is an NRAO Scientist position,
with 25% of time available to pursue independent research. The position
will be based in Charlottesville, Virginia, USA, at the North American
ALMA Science Center (NAASC).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Jobs for scientists interested in working on the commissioning of ALMA
are available at both ESO and NRAO.
We invite applications for one or more Assistant Scientist positions in
the NAASC. The primary responsibility of the successful candidates
initially is to participate in ALMA Commissioning and Science
Verification (CSV).
http://www.nrao.edu/administration/personnel_office/careers.shtml
For ESO jobs please see:
https://jobs.eso.org/ESOCP370/default.asp?PageNo=DEFAULT
For ALMA jobs please see:
http://www.alma.cl/jobops/
***************************************************************************
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
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