Future Issues

There are many issues that require ASAC attention in future meetings. We list here those issues that we expect to focus on in future telecons and our next meeting.

• Planning for Phase II. We would like to see a presentation on the plans for managing Phase II, including the procedures and criteria to be used to select between parallel developments. A plan for construction of the receivers (see Section 3) should be presented.
• Configurations. This issue received considerable discussion, summarized in section 5 above, but we plan to revisit the topic after the Configuration Working Group finishes the simulations recommended above.
• Ultra-Compact Array. One very interesting enhancement that Japanese participation might add is an ultra-compact array of smaller, more accurate antennas. The scientific potential of this array will need further elaboration and study.
• Local Oscillator Systems. Developments on photonic systems are still ongoing, and we should evaluate the status of these. In addition, the implications of some of our recommendations in this report for LO systems should be evaluated.
• Software. The planning for software systems is less advanced than in other areas. We would like to hear a presentation on these plans at our next meeting.
• Spectrum Management. Since commercial broadcasting has interest in bands in the ALMA region, we would like to hear a report on the status of efforts to protect these bands.
• Site. We would like a report on the status of site arrangements.
• Outreach. Since the ALMA project still needs to be explained to the larger community, we would like a presentation on the plans for outreach.