BIWEEKLY CALENDAR OF THE ALMA PROJECT at NRAO August 15 - August 29, 2005 ******************************** THIS FORTNIGHT********************************* An ALMA cost review will be held in Munich Oct 13-16 to provide a detailed examination of the basis and self-consistency of the scope, cost, and schedule of the re-baselining options that have been developed by the Joint ALMA Office (JAO) at the request of the ALMA Board. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- FROM Z-MACHINES TO ALMA: (SUB)MILLIMETER SPECTROSCOPY OF GALAXIES January 13-14, 2006, North American ALMA Science Center, National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, Virginia Preregistration is now possible at http://www.cv.nrao.edu/naasc/zmachines/ through October 21, 2005. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 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: Activity centers on planning, especially for Rebaselining documents and for the Cost Review. AOS: 15 August: Science team leaves, having staked new configuration locations. NAASC: First announcement issued for Z-machine workshop. ******************************************************************************* DAILY CALENDAR (Times EDT ) see https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar Mon 15 August Holiday in Europe, Chile Tue 16 10:30 AM-11:30 AM: JAO IPT Telecon Wed 17 10:30 PM-11:30 PM: NAScienceIPT teleconference Archive: http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/ Agenda: https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/MonthlyMeetings Thu 18 9:30 AM-11:00 AM: Management IPT Teleconference Fri 19 Sat 20 Sun 21 Mon August 22 Tue 23 16:00-17:00: PM NAScienceIPT teleconference (open to all interested parties) (434)296-7082 Agenda: http://www.cv.nrao.edu/~awootten/mmaimcal/ Wed 24 Thu 25 All Day Amplitude Calibration Review, Grenoble Fri 26 2:00-3:00 PM: ANASAC Telecon Sat 27 Sun 28 Astrochemistry throughout the Universe: Recent Successes and Current Challenges 2005 August 29 - September 2; Asilomar, California ****************************** UPCOMING EVENTS ****************************** ALMA Calendar--https://wikio.nrao.edu/bin/view/ALMA/AlmaCalendar * Aug 25 -- Amplitude Calibration Review, Grenoble * Aug 26 -- ANASAC Telecon * Aug 29 -- Antenna meeting, Kilgore, Tx * Aug 29-Sept 2 -- IAU231, 'Astrochemistry throughout the Universe' Asilomar, Ca * Sep 9-10 -- "Revealing the Molecular Universe", Berkeley, Ca * Sep 14 -- ESAC Meeting, Garching * Sep 15 -- European ALMA Board, Garching * Sep 16 -- ESO Committee of Council, Brussels * Sep 22-23 -- ACA System Review, Santiago Postponed, probably to Early Nov, Tokyo * Sep 24-30 -- JAO/IPT Meeting, OSF Postponed, probably to early Dec. * Sep 29-30 -- ESO Council (if needed) * Oct 1-2 -- ASAC Meeting, Santiago * Oct 5 -- ESO Finance Committee * Oct 6 -- Rolling Stones come to Scott Stadium, Charlottesville * Oct 13-16 -- ALMA Cost Review proposed, Munich * Nov 1-2 -- ALMA Board, Santiago * Nov 8-9 -- ESO Finance Committee * 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 variance Author: Hitoshi KIUCHI Abstract: In this memo, we discuss the coherence loss caused by the phase noise in order to find out the cause of dominant coherence source. The coherence loss can be calculated from the measured phase stability in Allan variance. The key of an interferometer is to maintain the signal coherence. In a connected interferometer, the instability of the frequency distributed by the common reference in central element 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 each antenna is independent; the LLC (Line length corrector), WMA (Warm multiplier assembly) and CMA (Cold multiplier assembly) are independent devices and/or mounted on an independent antenna. 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. The measured stability of the atmosphere is about 10E-13 (tau < 1000 sec) of flicker frequency noise (receiving frequency: 4.2 GHz to 89 GHz). Atmospheric phase scintillation degrades the coherence of interferometer data, which is independent of the phase fluctuation of the system phase noise. The system phase noise must be less than phase noise of the atmosphere. We will discuss the required phase stability and the coherence loss in the Allan variance. Eventually, view a pdf version of ALMA Memo #530 at: http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/html-memos/alma530/memo530.pdf ******************************ALSO OF INTEREST******************************* The call for new proposals for the observing period NOV 1, 2005 thru APR 30, 2006 is posted on the SMA Observer Central website. The proposal deadline is SEP 13, 2005. Proposers of Legacy Programs are expected to give notice of intent to propose by AUG 25 (to help deal with potential conflicts). ****************************************************************************** Please send information for upcoming calendars by Friday evening of the preceding biweekly period to Jennifer Neighbours or Al Wootten via e-mail (jneighbo@nrao.edu or awootten@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 _______________________________________________