This is an experimental MMA Newsletter intended to keep the community aware of what is happening in the project. We briefly describe new developments and have links to related documents.
The last 9 months have been a busy time. In June we began considering a more detailed collaboration with the ESO's European LSA millimeter array project. Discussion centered around technical description and management organization of a joint project. We also have been continuing discussions with theJapanese about their potential participation in a grand millimeter/submillimeter project.
In the Fall of 1997, Congress approved the first 9 million dollars for the Design and Development phase of the project. However, the NSF has required another review of the project before NRAO can begin spending these funds. The NSF review committee met in late February and has recommended that the project proceed. The National Science Board now needs to accept that recommendation. If all goes well we expect to be able to begin spending in June.
Vanden Bout's response to the MAC
The MMA Advisory Commitee met in Chicago and made a set of recommendations to NRAO on how to proceed with the MMA and our potential European partners. Since this November meeting, Paul Vanden Bout has answered these recommendations in the Observatory Response to the Millimeter Array Advisory Committee Report at http://www.alma.nrao.edu/ committees/MAC/observresponse.html. This report describes how he intends go forward with the project over the next year.
In this report Vanden Bout addresses the following issues:
- Homogeneous vs. heterogeneous array
- International partnerships
- Software design and planning
A technical workshop between the U.S. MMA and the European LSA was held in Charlottesville to discuss plans and designs to reach better compatibility between the two projects. This group will meet again at the end of the year to evaluate the the progress made towards this end. A report of this meeting can be viewed at http://www.alma.nrao.edu/committees/meetings//technical.html
The first meeting of the NSF Millimeter Oversight Committee (MOC) convened on February 23, 1998. This committee will review approaches being taken for instrument prototyping and development. After review the committee will then provide NSF with a detailed and independent oversight of the MMA project. More details can be found at http://www.alma.nrao.edu/committees/MOC/oversight.html
Design and Development Program Plan
The Millimeter Array Program Plan Design and Development Volume II is a detailed outline of steps the Millimeter Array Project will take during the next three years. This document describes the approaches being taken for instrument prototyping, the goals of the plan, and includes a detailed Gantt chart of expected milestones.
Besides the reports mentioned above, more detailed planning is beginning on the MMA project. Three MDC documents are available on the MMA Web Site. These include:
- Radiometric Phase Calibration
- Requirements for the Millimeter Array Correlator
- Frequency Band Considerations and Recommendations
These can be accessed at http://www.alma.nrao.edu/library/whitepapers
We would like feedback on the specifications in these working documents. They are working documents right now but will become the basis for planning these aspects of the project once we get the community input we are asking for now. You can either use the COMMENT buttons on the web or just email me at fowen@aoc.nrao.edu.
The memo series continues to grow with about three new memos appearing per month. Most are fairly technical but some are of more general interest. Have a look and let me know if you have any comments. They are located at http://www.alma.nrao.edu/memos/index.html
Under MMA Development, you can find the MDC Working Group reports. In particular the Antenna, Receiver, and System groups have been active recently. Point your browsers to http://www.alma.nrao.edu/development/index.html
There is also an increasing amount of other material on the web site which you may want to explore. Anyone who woud like to get email news about MMA in the future or would like not to get such communications in the future, please email kweather@aoc.nrao.edu with your request. Any comments on this way of doing things would also be welcome.---Frazer Owen, MMA Project Scientist
---Kate Weatherall, MMA Web Coordinator - Radiometric Phase Calibration