2005-04-14 ALMA Calibration Group Telecon Agenda and Minutes
ALMA Calibration Group Telecon
  • Date: April 14, 2005 (Thursday)
  • Time: 15:00 UT
  • Duration: 1.0 hr
  • USA Toll Free Number: 1-877-919-7148
  • International: +1-203-566-1039
  • Passcode: 5 1 0 4 6 8
  • Leader: JeffMangum

Table of Contents:



Complete List of Action Items


Action Items from Last Telecon

Assigned To Due Date Description State Notify  


Agenda and Minutes

NOTE: Discussion from the telecon is shown in italic.

Attendees

  1. BaltasarVilaVilaro
  2. Matt Carter
  3. EdFomalont
  4. JimGibson
  5. RobertLucas
  6. JeffMangum
  7. JohnRicher
  8. AlisonStirling
  9. Jack Welch
  10. ThomasWilson
  11. AlWootten

Calibration Plan

Thanks to those who contributed to the recent significant revision to the Calibration Plan. More work needs to be done on this document before it can be considered "done". Recall that we have organized ourselves into small groups concentrate on specific sections of the plan. I list below these groups, with the "lead volunteer" denoted in bold:

  1. Amplitude and Flux Calibration (Welch, Butler, Carter, Gibson, Holdaway, Mangum, Martin-Pintado, Kawabe, Wilson)
  2. Phase Calibration (Hills, Holdaway, Mundy, Richer, Stirling, Wootten)
  3. Bandpass Calibration (Guilloteau, Bacmann)
  4. Polarization Calibration (Myers, Holdaway, Laing)
  5. Pointing Calibration (Mangum, Lucas, Holdaway)
  6. Antenna Location Calibration (Conway, Wright, Morita)
  7. Antenna and Electronic Delay Calibration (Lucas)
  8. Optics Calibration (Butler, Saito)
  9. Total Power Calibration (Holdaway, Mangum, Mundy, Kawabe)
  10. Primary Beam Calibration (Holdaway, Wilson)
  11. Archiving and Accessing Calibration Quantities (Lucas, Mangum)

With regards the updates to the individual Calibration Plan chapters, with the exception of the changes identified through the Action Items, the Calibration Plan appears to be in pretty good shape.

All group members should read through the current version of the plan and suggest changes.


Calibration Group Use of the Wiki


Calibration Category Issues

The following is a list of "calibration categories" which JeffMangum suggests we should discuss on a regular basis (note the similarity to the Calibration Plan sections). Please suggest additions/deletions to the following list.

  1. Amplitude and Flux Calibration
  2. Phase Calibration
  3. Bandpass Calibration
  4. Polarization Calibration
  5. Pointing Calibration
  6. Antenna Location Calibration
  7. Antenna and Electronic Delay Calibration
  8. Optics Calibration
  9. Total Power Calibration
  10. Primary Beam Calibration
  11. Archiving and Accessing Calibration Quantities

Thankfully, EdFomalont has volunteered to say something about the phase calibrator testing that he and MarkHoldaway have been doing at the VLA. See the next topic for further information.


VLA Tests of ALMA Phase Calibration Issues


Amplitude Calibration Subsystem Development Reports

  • Berkeley Absolute Flux Calibration System (JimGibson/Welch)
    • _Continue to work on data analysis of measurements made at BIMA last fall.
    • Still working on data analysis.
    • Still trying to schedule waveguide loss measurements at CU. Hope to finish in next month or two.
    • Building a calibrated gain system for CARMA.
  • Semi-Transparent Vane (STV) Calibration System (ThomasWilson)
    • Main.ThomasWilson will contact Jesus Martin-Pintado to get information on STV material.
  • Multi-Load (ML) Calibration System (Matt Carter)
    • Finished lab measurements of RAL load, writing report (done in a few weeks).
    • +-1% accuracy on temperature up to 90C (83, 103, 300, 350 GHz).
    • Working on antenna space (widget space) requirements for this device.


Weather (Ancilliary) Measurement Devices

At the 2004-11-09 telecon AlWootten started a discussion of the state of the "ancilliary" measurement devices (generally, weather measurement devices). AlWootten pointed out that the Project will soon go through a "rebaselining" exercise, which will involve a reorganization of the scope of the Project. Since ancilliary devices are not currently funded, we need to make the case for the necessary ancilliary devices now. Jack Welch suggested that an oxygen sounder would be very useful to have. AlisonStirling has posted her review of oxygen sounders to the CalAncillary wiki.

A revised version of the "ancilliary" measurement devices specifications and requirements document will be posted by JohnRicher within the next couple of days.


Date of Next Phone Meeting

The next ALMA Calibration Group telecon will be 2005, May 12th 15:00 UT. This is our "normal" meeting time (15:00 UT on the second thursday of each month).

-- JeffMangum - 14 Apr 2005
Topic revision: r5 - 2005-06-07, JeffMangum
This site is powered by FoswikiCopyright © by the contributing authors. All material on this collaboration platform is the property of the contributing authors.
Ideas, requests, problems regarding NRAO Public Wiki? Send feedback