Minutes of the ANASAC telecon on November 5, 2004

Present: Blain, Carilli, Crutcher, Glenn, Wilson, Mundy, Yun, Najita,
 	Hibbard, Wootten, Vanden Bout, Emerson

1. News items

   -- ALMA office in Santiago now open
   -- Board meeting was held at the OSF
   -- Japan agreement is nearly complete (3 more 12-m antennas on the way)
   -- Antenna contract is still undergoing review (decision in Dec. 2004)
   -- "Re-baselining" of the project early next year

2. ASAC report (read the report on the agenda page)

   -- Descoping options considered.  Restructuring Japanese contribution
 	to pickup what's descoped is NOT an option.
   -- Although not mentioned, descoping of the software projects
 	under-consideration as well.  THIS AN AREA WHERE THE CURRENT
 	ALLOCATION OF EFFORT MAY ALREADY NOT BE SUFFICIENT.

   ==> ACTION ITEM: ASAC wants some input from the ANASAC for the
 	demonstration science project ideas.  Eventually.  Start
 	thinking about what projects might be appropriate, when,
 	and how to carry out such projects.  Further discussion
 	should take place once the Science Verification Plan is
 	developed further.

3. The ANASAC Survey and the NSF Senior Review

   -- As part of the NSF Senior Review, the NSF radio astronomy program
 	will be reviewed to update the Decadal review recommendations.
 	Endorsements of the data reduction grant program for future
 	astronomical facilities such as ALMA is expected.
 	Therefore, there is a reduced urgency for the Survey we have
      	been preparing.  If the endorsement actually happens, then
 	the purpose of the survey should change, mainly for
 	defining the nature and the mechanism of the program.

   ==> ACTION ITEM: Paul VB will ping Fred for an update and try to
 	chart the course for this effort.

4. Expanded NAASC web page

   -- John Hibbard announced that the updated NAASC web page is now
 	available through the ANASAC wiki page.  It is still a
 	work in progress (he does not have any web designer support
 	yet).

   ==> ACTION ITEM: Have a look at the new NAASC web page and send
 	comments on the content, organization, etc. to John
 	(jhibbard@nrao.edu).  Links to the Maryland ALMA workshop
 	and the "Dusty" meeting in Paris have been suggested, and
 	they already exist!

5. To accommodate the ANASAC members with a scheduling conflict, future
 	ANASAC telecon will be held at 2 PM EST (on Fridays).