BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO 17 July 2006 - 31 July 2006 ******************************** THIS FORTNIGHT**************************** The Atacama Pathfinder Experiment (APEX) uses a VertexRSI 12-m sub-millimetre telescope, a variant of the ALMA prototype antenna, located on the Chajnantor site to provide access to the "Cold Universe" with unprecedented sensitivity and image quality. As a demonstration, no less than 26 articles based on early science with APEX are published this week in the research journal Astronomy & Astrophysics. Among the many new findings, most in the field of star formation and astrochemistry, are the discovery of a new interstellar molecule, and the detection of light emitted at 0.2 mm from CO molecules, as well as light coming from a charged molecule composed of two forms of Hydrogen. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Senate Report 109-280 - DEPARTMENTS OF COMMERCE AND JUSTICE, SCIENCE, AND RELATED AGENCIES APPROPRIATIONS BILL, 2007 has been issued. Some highlights: RESEARCH AND RELATED ACTIVITIES The Committee recommendation provides $5,991,690,000. The recommendation is $410,524,000 above the fiscal year 2006 enacted level and $28,322,000 below the budget request... The Committee recommends the requested amount of $50,740,000 for the operations of the National Radio Astronomy Observatories. The operations, maintenance, and development of new instrumentation at the Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, and the Green Bank Telescope allow these world-class facilities to provide valuable research into the origins of the universe. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- MAJOR RESEARCH EQUIPMENT AND FACILITIES CONSTRUCTION The Committee recommendation provides $237,250,000. The recommendation is $46,369,000 above the fiscal year 2006 enacted level and $3,000,000 below the budget request... The Committee recommendation includes requested funding for five continuing projects, as follows: $47,890,000 for the Atacama Large Millimeter Array [ALMA]; $27,400,000 for EarthScope; $28,650,000 for the IceCube Neutrino Observatory; $42,880,000 for the Scientific Ocean Drilling Vessel; and $9,130,000 for South Pole Station Modernization. The Committee feels that the highest priorities within this account are the projects that are currently under construction. The Committee understands that ALMA has recently been reviewed by NSF and may require additional funding beyond the amounts requested within the fiscal year 2007 budget submission. If additional funds are required for ALMA, the Committee will consider a reprogramming of funds from within the resources provided in this account to accommodate such funding needs. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- NASA Administrator Mike Griffin announced restoration of funding for SOFIA at a public meeting of the NAC Science Committee and Subcommittees. Speech by Griffin:"I now believe the best course going forward is to continue SOFIA, with some significant management changes." See http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/152609main_griffin_sofia.pdf ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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 Sky: Jupiter dominates the evenings. Mars is low in the glow of sunset. Santiago: Please be informed that starting July 19th, 2006, Alvaro Leiva, the new JAO Human Resources Manager will start work at the JAO in Santiago. For more information, please see http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/MemoALeiva.pdf AOS (Array Ops Site, 16570ft altitude): From 14-21 July, the APEX facility has registered a little more than 1mm of PWV on parts of the nights of 15-17 July, and less than that at other times. OSF (Ops Support Facility, 9600ft altitude): Currently there are approximately 65 persons working at the site of which approximately 59 use the ALMA and ContractorÕs lodging facilities. Final mass excavation of the OSF at the intersection with the access road shall be completed by the end of July. NAASC: VxRSI Antenna: First article acceptance tests for the azimuth and elevation bearings, drive motors and hexapod are scheduled for completion in July. Review panel for PreProduction Design review 27-29 Sept will be chaired by Peter Napier. Nutator: Received cost and technical bids from 3 companies. One company issued a no-bid response. Art Symmes is leading the evaluation of bids. OPT: Two companies are currently reviewing draft technical specification for OPT. (ESO): The Transporter PDR has been scheduled for 31 July - 1 Aug. NTC: Band 7 cartridge: The first cartridge was shipped by IRAM to the NA FEIC! The Band 7 cartridge CDR meeting will take place on 16-17 Aug 2006 at IRAM in Grenoble. Rich Lacasse became resident in Charlottesville and is now devoting most of his time to the ALMA correlator. Airflow studies of correlator with TFBs continues. A review of the correlator Specification B revealed that four listed modes using 4-bit X 4-bit correlation with full polarization cross-products cannot be supported (there are enough correlator resources, but the required interconnections are not possible). AOC: Computing subsystem leads met face to face in Garching. Final Computing subsystem (Offline = CASA) CDR4 meeting was held. PSI system connectivity is achieved; progressing into lab interferometry though issues remain with Master laser and LORR; Walsh function switching is in place in 2nd LO. *************************************************************************** DAILY CALENDAR (Times EDT ) see https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar Mon 17 Jul Marine Day Holiday, Japan Tue 18 Jul 10:30 AM-11:30 AM: JAO IPT Telecon followed by CCB telecon Wed 19 Jul Thu 20 Jul Fri 21 Jul As dawn brightens on Saturday morning, the waning crescent Moon hangs above Venus in the east-northeast. All Day: ARC Managers meet with JAO Director in Garching, video CV-230 12:00 PM: Friday U. Va.- NRAO Lunch talk--Rob Reid, Penticton Sat 22 Jul Sun 23 Jul Mon 24 Jul Tue 25 Jul New Moon 12:31 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time; All Day: FE face-to-face CV 10:30 AM-11:30 AM: JAO IPT Telecon 4:00 PM-5:00 PM: NAScienceIPT teleconference Wed 26 Jul All Day: FE face-to-face CV ScienceIPT teleconference Thu 27 Jul All Day: FE LO CDR CV Fri 28 Jul All Day: FE LO CDR CV Sat 29 Jul The weak, long-lasting Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower is at its maximum activity around this date. Sun 30 Jul Mon 31 Jul ****************************** UPCOMING EVENTS **************************** Jul 25-26 FE face-to-face CV Jul 27-28 all day FE LO CDR CV Aug 2 ASAC Telecon Aug 3 ALMA Board Telecon Aug 8-9 B7 cartridge CDR Grenoble Aug 14-25 IAU Meeting Prague Aug 28 Move of PSI to ATF Aug 31 SpecReview: Production Laser Synthesizer CV Sept 16-17 all day ASAC face-to-face Arcetri Sept 22-23 evening Dave Matthews Band CV JPJ Arena opening Sept 27-29 Vertex RSI Revies Essen November 9-10 all day ALMA Board Meeting Madrid TBD Nov 13-16 all day Science with ALMA: a new era for Astrophysics Madrid ******************************* TECHNICAL NEWS **************************** ALMA MEMO 551: Cross-polarization characterization of GORETEX slabs at band 9 frequencies by A. M. Baryshev , M. Candotti , N. A. Trappe Abstract: GORETEX material, commonly used in radomes, is known to be transparent at microwave bands [1]. In ALMA a thin GORETEX membrane will cover the aperture through which the RF beam enters the cabin at the primary vertex hole [2]. Slabs of GORETEX are also generally employed in windows for intermediate temperature shields inside the cryostat. The purpose of these windows ideally is to allow the beam to pass through them without introducing any alteration of the beam properties. Main concern has to be put on RF loss, but also in cross-polarization efficiency degradation. This report will stress on the results we have obtained in relation of loss of cross-polar efficiency of a linearly polarized beam passing through a GORETEX slab, depending on its orientation relative to the direction of polarization of the beam. View a copy of this memo at: http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma551/memo551.pdf ******************************ALSO OF INTEREST***************************** ESO has an opening for European ALMA Project Scientist. Please see: http://www.eso.org/gen-fac/adm/pers/vacant/alma_project_scientist_2006.html ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ALMA has openings for Head of Science Operations, Head of Technical Services, and Head of Administration. Please see: http://www.nrao.edu/administration/personnel_office/careers.shtml ------------------------------------------------------------------------- *************************************************************************** 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