The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is transitioning from construction to operations. This connected element array currently operates from wavelengths of 3-mm to 350-um with up to 66 array elements, 54 of 12-m diameter and 12 of 7-m diameter. While the antennas and most of the hardware for the receivers are on site, array capabilities are still expanding rapidly. In parallel with construction activities, early science observations have been going on since October 2011. At the time of the meeting, ALMA will be starting Cycle 2, the third cycle of observing, with many exciting, fundamental results already obtained in the previous two cycles. Having now finished construction, we review some of the residual issues we are facing in the transition period. We discuss the current status of the project, array performance, testing, and ongoing development. In short, we will present ALMA: past, present and future.

Date Published: 22 July 2014
PDF: 7 pages
Proc. SPIE 9145, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes V, 91451V (22 July 2014); doi: 10.1117/12.2057941

Published in SPIE Proceedings Vol. 9145:
Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes V
Larry M. Stepp; Roberto Gilmozzi; Helen J. Hall, Editor(s)