ALMA Community Day

Friday 24 September, 2004
ESO auditorium

The Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) consisting of 64x12m telescopes at the high-altitude Chajnantor site in Chile will provide a major leap forward in millimeter and submillimeter astronomy, allowing fundamental questions in the formation of galaxies, stars and planets to be addressed. The aim of this one-day meeting is to provide an overview and update to the European astronomical community of the ALMA project as it enters the construction phase, and to solicit input from the community on science operations and user support for ALMA.

The goal of the ALMA Commnity Day is to keep the European community informed about ALMA progress since the last such meeting in November 2002. The meeting provided information about the project status, and additional reports on other ALMA activities such as the status of software, the plans for early science, the operations plan and planning for ALMA regional centers. Also, a sample of exiciting recent scientific results relevant to ALMA and the opportunities afforded by ALMA in its Early Science phase was presented.

08:30 - 08:45 C. Cesarsky: Opening Workshop Welcome

08:45 - 10:30 Session 1. (Chair: R. Hills)

08:45 - 09:15 M. Tarenghi (JAO): Project Status
09:15 - 09:40 F. Walter (MPIfA, Heidelberg): High-redshift galaxies
09:40 - 10:05 L. Tacconi (MPIfEP, Garching): Nuclei of galaxies
10:05 - 10:30 W. Holland (ATC/ROE): Debris disks and planetary systems

10:30 - 10:50 Coffee Break

10:50 - 12:45 Session 2. (Chair E. van Dishoeck)

10:50 - 11:15 D. Bockelee-Morvan (Obs. de Paris, Meudon): Solar system
11:15 - 11:45 D. Wilner (CfA): First results from the SMA and lessons at high frequencies
11:45 - 12:45 short contributions from community on recent developments relevant for ALMA, e.g. update on APEX, new instruments + first results on mm or submm telescopes:
- P. Schilke: Status of APEX
- M. Wittkowski: Multiwavelength studies of evolved stars using VLTI, VLBA, and ALMA
- F. Combes: Predictions for ALMA with the HORIZON project
- E. Schinnerer: Molecular gas spiral arms of M51
- M. Hogerheijde: Spitzer legacy programs on star- and planet formation
- P. Diamond: RADIONET activities in mm/submm astronomy

12:45 - 13:45 Lunch Reception

13:45 - 15:15 Session 3. (Chair R. Bachiller)

13:45 - 14:15 L. Testi (Oss. di Arcetri): User Expectations from the ALMA software
14:15 - 14:45 R. Laing (ESO) Early Science Observing
14:45 - 15:15 D. Silva (ESO): ESO's plan for user support (core) functions
15:15 - 15:45 T. Wilson (ESO): Organization of science support functions

15:15 - 16:30 Session 4. (Chairs P. Cox, A. Benz)

15:45 - 16:30 Open discussion

ALMA Community Day

ALMA Community Day

Friday 24 September, 2004 ESO auditorium

Suggested background reading

Friday 24 September, 2004
ESO auditorium