Time assignment information
Changes to observing terms
Applications for telescope time on ATNF facilities are considered by the Time Assignment Committee (TAC). This committee currently has five voting members and meets three times a year. Approximately 110 applications are considered at each TAC meeting.
At the July 2003 meeting of the ATNF Steering Committee, the operations of the Time Assignment Committee were discussed and a decision was made to implement a change from three four-month observing terms per year, to two six-month observing semesters. This change will allow for more efficient scheduling, in particular at the Compact Array and will reduce the work load on the Time Assignment Committee. The Steering Committee also decided to increase the size of the TAC, from five to six voting members.
The semester dates and deadlines for telescope applications in 2004 will be finalized in November 2003, following discussions with the ATNF User Committee (ATUC) and the TAC. Full information will be made available on the ATNF Observers web pages.
Compact Array and Mopra
In 2004 JANT we will be offering the array configurations 6B, 1.5A, 750A and EW367. The term will also start with 6A. Observing will be possible with the standard 20, 13, 6, 3-cm and 12-mm systems on all six antennas. In the 12-mm window, it is possible to select two different observing frequencies. However, the signals at both frequencies must pass through a common filter in the down conversion stage. This means that the two frequencies must both lie within only one of the following two ranges:
16039.5 - 20999.5 MHz ("X-band": filter)
21000.5 - 24999.5 MHz ("C-band" filter)
Additionally, the frequencies must not differ by more than 2.8 GHz for the X-band filter, and 2.3 GHz for the C-band filter.
Summer weather means 12-mm observing will be difficult during much of the term.
Although three antennas will be available with 3-mm systems, the normal weather during almost all the term will make this unattractive. The frequency range for the 3-mm systems is limited to two sub-bands of 84.9 - 87.3 GHz and 88.5 - 91.3 GHz. Observing in the 3-mm band requires an observer present who has had previous experience with the ATCA 3-mm systems.
Requests for the Mopra radio telescope may be considered at 12-mm and centimetre wavelengths if it can be demonstrated that Mopra offers a significant advantage over other facilities and where a substantial time is required.
Overseas remote observing at the Compact Array
Remote observing at the Compact Array has been available to observers in Australia for some years. This facility is now also available to overseas observers, subject to some conditions. In general, overseas remote observing will be allocated at the discretion of the Narrabri Officer-in-Charge. A condition for accepting such a request is that the observer must have served as Duty Astronomer for at least one week within the last year, or be scheduled as Duty Astronomer in the near future.
Additionally, remote observers will be required to have a workstation and link with sufficient speed and responsiveness to adequately run the observing software, and be able to receive or make phone calls between Narrabri and their observing room.
For full information on remote observing conditions, please refer to the web document
www.narrabri.atnf.csiro.au/observing/remote_conditions.html
Jessica Chapman, Bob Sault
(Jessica.Chapman@csiro.au)