ANASAC minutes 2 June 2011 ======================

Present: Rachel Osten,David Wilner, Darryl Emerson, John Carpenter, Johnathan Williams, Carol Lonsdale, Al Wootten, John Hibbard, Alberto Bolatto, Kelsey Johnson, Andrew Baker, Douglas Scott, Dick Crutcher, Hsien Shang, others joined later

* Report on progress (Al Wootten)

Picture from May at the website. Now there are 14 at the site, 16 have been throught the acceptance process. Note from Louis Ball about opening of the archive. Last report from the board (April) on agenda site. Antennas logged into the computer system show up in the birdseye view - google earth tool. SV projects will have elongated beam for a while, while new pads are constructed. Weather, last night snow, but many submm nights. At the OSF the first 7m antennas is being tested and has moved to the third of the four stages of AIV, into the OSF interferometer. This is the third of the 4 ALMA antenna designs to enter this stage. Tests on European antenna, finished pointing tests (within spec), so far so good. Radio tests to start soon. Questions: polarization study found issues. Is there a plan to address them? SV project on HD disk is being looked at to further investigate the problems. CSV team is in transition to operations. Recruiting new people. One focus is their polarization expertise. On SV targets, what is actually going to be done? Don't stop proposing because it is in the SV list! Information about SV is in table, but it is not complete. In any case, all that will be released before proposals are due has been released. The intent is to observe everything before start of early science. Overall, Al sees no hold ups for ES.

* Report on NAASC preparations for ES (Carol Lonsdale)

Impressive effort that reached 1/4 of the NA community with the "ALMA community days". The ANASAC congratulates the members of the NAASC for carrying this out successfully. We suggest that the names of the local organizers should be also included in the report, since their effort would otherwise be invisible (an updated report was submitted a few days after this meeting with the requested information in it. Thanks!). Since somewhat similar outreach efforts will soon take place, we suggest that the NAASC keep good record of what worked and what didn't in this first experience since that information it is not included in the report (we are assured they do). Discussion ensues about the use of the web based OST simulator vs. simdata. The OST interface is very simple and easy to use, if somewhat limited.

The NAASC requests input about the format of the planned tutorials for data processing. The ANASAC agrees that the best format is the "larger workshop style", where a number of people come to C'ville. For time scale the suggestion is Fall, after results are back. This would not collide with the dates for the science workshop. Concerning phase 2, the plan is that the NAASC will assign a member of their staff as "contact scientist" to each successful NA proposal. Cycle 1 proposal will be due in April. Thus outreach should be planned for February and March. Separate, but also extremely important, is the highlight of ES results. Winter AAS meeting? The NAASC applied for a special session. There is some potential for awkwardness, since it isn't clear that there will be "new science results" to announce on that time scale. The Spring AAS meeting would be a good time. But the location (this time Alaska) is very remote.

The archive went through several load tests and it is ready to accept proposals. Anticipating ~1,200 proposals or thereabouts. The ES results will be announced on Sept 1. There is a plan in discussion at the ASAC for triaging of proposals.

* Update on ALMA development (Al Wootten)

Ready for NSF approval for the call for proposals, some wording changes made. NRAO is talking about hosting an additional development workshop focused on software. Crystal Brogan and Marc Lacy will organize. No dates yet. ANASAC charges -> question about resiting band 1, to be discussed probably at the F2F.

Now that the web pages moved to the JAO the ASAC agendas cannot be seen by the ANASAC. Alberto Bolatto wrote a letter to Lewis Ball requesting that to be changed, and there was very rapid action. They should be available now.

There will be a doodle poll for ANASAC F2F meeting. The ASAC dates are Oct 5-6, thus it will likely take place in late September.

-- AlWootten - 2011-07-06
Topic revision: r2 - 2011-07-11, AlWootten
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