2005-06-09 ALMA Calibration Group Telecon Agenda and Minutes
ALMA Calibration Group Telecon
  • Date: June 9, 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. JeffMangum
  6. JohnRicher
  7. ThomasWilson
  8. Jack Welch
  9. 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 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

Please suggest topics of discussion for the next telecon.


Amplitude Calibration Subsystem Development Reports

  • Berkeley Absolute Flux Calibration System (JimGibson)
    • Continue to work on data analysis of measurements made at BIMA last fall.
    • Scheduled to conduct waveguide loss measurements at CU soon.
    • Goal to produce a draft report of system and experimental results by next Calibration Group telecon.
  • Semi-Transparent Vane (STV) Calibration System (ThomasWilson)
    • No news regarding STV material measurements in Madrid lab.
    • TomWilson will contact Jesus Martin-Pintado to stress the need for this report
  • Multi-Load (ML) Calibration System (Matt Carter)
    • No new news to report.
    • Will strive to produce an updated version of the experimental report associated with this system by next Calibration Group telecon.
    • Report available early next week.
    • Draft report points out that:
      • It will be difficult to design a multi-load system that meets spec due to the use of a grid.
      • Two load system will meet spec.


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 has been posted by JohnRicher for comment. Final version will be submitted by 2005/07/01. JeffMangum, AlWootten, and JohnRicher will discuss this document at the SMA meeting next week.


Water Dimers and Path Determination (Jack Welch)

The affects of dimers on delay have always been a worrying issue for ALMA phase calibration. Jack has been communicating with a chemist in the UCB Chemistry department (Richard Saykally) who is interested in the problem of dimer affects in the Earth's atmosphere. Saykally is collaborating with Claude Le Forestiere (Universite Mont Pellier 2). These researchers would like student support. Perhaps ALMA can find support funds for this effort?


Date of Next Phone Meeting

The next ALMA Calibration Group telecon will be 2005, July 14th (Bastille Day) 15:00 UT. This is our "normal" meeting time (15:00 UT on the second thursday of each month).

-- JeffMangum - 09 Jun 2005
Topic revision: r4 - 2005-07-07, JeffMangum
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