Input for quarterly report due Oct 22. Need a line or two from everyone.
OpsWG is working towards version D of AOP. Hibbard went to SCO Sep12 to help finalize budget. Should be ready any day now.
Results of ARC Manager f2f (Garching, Sep 3): Increasing ARC core support by inclusion of hand-holding & archive research support. Moves two positions from NAASC "Full" to core support. NAASC will help train other ARC personnel in casa so they can prepare for user support. We will hold quarterly f2f. Hibbard needs to produce document on helpdesk requirements by December. Hibbard also attended EU Community Days. May discuss arclet concept.
CASA beta support: Beta release is imminent. Recall that no operations plan anywhere included any user support this year. We are trying to get new staff on-board to help support this ASAP. Will advertise for NAASC CASA developer based in Charlottesville. Frail is in charge of these hires.
Evan's joint NRAO/UVa appointment is in the works. Current plan:
Evans will be at Spitzer Science Center from now until Jan 1. Will produce report on how SSC User Suppport works.
Will go to ASIAA Jan-Feb, and report on their plans for user support and possible interaction wiht NAASC
Thereafter, will work with Carilli on on-line mm course, along the lines of the Condon & Ransom"essential radio astronomy" on-line course.
Expect him in Charlottesville August 2008.
CSV jobs been advertised. Expect to start reviewing applications in November. Please send along to promising candidates.
Revision of Canadian MOU is in the works. Will be between observatory directors, not funding agencies.
MOU with UVML for SIS development is in the works. Will support THz research, support Art Lichtenberger half time, as the "NRAO Director of the University of Virginia Microfabrication Laboratory". Funded under NAASC "Special Projects".
Science Talks/visits:
Did anyone give any? Have any planned? If so, enter into NAm ALMA Calendar
Al is working with Bryan Butler, Mark Gurwell, and UVa on possible planetary workshop. Stirring up interest at DPS. Will get back to us after then
Project News (Wootten)
_I am pleased to report that we have achieved another milestone in the path to dynamic fringes. Today we were able to have stable fringes on Mercury using Darrel's polynomial for the geometric delay. We have had fringes for approximately 2 hours with no human interaction. we think that most of the variation in the Phase is due to weather (it is very cloudy today). Congratulations to everyone who has worked hard to get us to this point. --Jeff Kern(for everyone at the ATF today) _
ALMA Board Charges to the ASAC (in Agenda); see also Board Response to previous Charges. the Board tasked us with coordinating a white paper: '...Accordingly, the Board asks that the Project Scientists coordinate a short ``white paper'' on the molecular data requirements for ALMA, including coordination with other major projects with similar data needs, to be submitted by the end of the year.'
CASA Beta release planning & boot camp (Crystal). John & Crystal will go to boot camp (Oct 16-18 in Socorro). Tony and Remy will attend remotely. After that we plan a staged beta release.
MM Calibrator/Spectral Line Databases (Tony Remijan)
We are expecting a "beta" release of all the new functionality, as well as some new surprises, by Dec 2007. Remijan will present the "New Splatalogue" to the ANASAC on Aug 17th and Remijan and Markwick -Kemper will give a "world-wide tour" of Splatalogue next year. The first unofficial stop is in the Fall to Pasadena (NHSC, Caltech mm group, Spitzer). Plans have yet to be made yet, however.