The European ALMA Regional Centre: a model of user support

P. Andreani; F. Stoehr; M. Zwaan; E. Hatziminaoglou; A. Biggs; M. Diaz-Trigo; E. Humphreys; D. Petry; S. Randall; T. Stanke; E. van Kampen; M. Bárta; J. Brand; F. Gueth; M. Hogerheijde; F. Bertoldi; T. Muxlow; A. Richards; W. Vlemmings

doi:10.1117/12.2054908

6 August 2014 The European ALMA Regional Centre: a model of user support

P. Andreani, F. Stoehr, M. Zwaan, E. Hatziminaoglou, A. Biggs, M. Diaz-Trigo, E. Humphreys, D. Petry, S. Randall, T. Stanke, E. van Kampen, M. Bárta, J. Brand, F. Gueth, M. Hogerheijde, F. Bertoldi, T. Muxlow, A. Richards, W. Vlemmings

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9149, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems V; 91490Y (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2054908
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2014, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Abstract

The ALMA Regional Centres (ARCs) form the interface between the ALMA observatory and the user community from the proposal preparation stage to the delivery of data and their subsequent analysis. The ARCs provide critical services to both the ALMA operations in Chile and to the user community. These services were split by the ALMA project into core and additional services. The core services are financed by the ALMA operations budget and are critical to the successful operation of ALMA. They are contractual obligations and must be delivered to the ALMA project. The additional services are not funded by the ALMA project and are not contractual obligations, but are critical to achieve ALMA full scientific potential. A distributed network of ARC nodes (with ESO being the central ARC) has been set up throughout Europe at the following seven locations: Bologna, Bonn-Cologne, Grenoble, Leiden, Manchester, Ondrejov, Onsala. These ARC nodes are working together with the central node at ESO and provide both core and additional services to the ALMA user community. This paper presents the European ARC, and how it operates in Europe to support the ALMA community. This model, although complex in nature, is turning into a very successful one, providing a service to the scientific community that has been so far highly appreciated. The ARC could become a reference support model in an age where very large collaborations are required to build large facilities, and support is needed for geographically and culturally diverse communities.

Citation Download Citation

P. Andreani, F. Stoehr, M. Zwaan, E. Hatziminaoglou, A. Biggs, M. Diaz-Trigo, E. Humphreys, D. Petry, S. Randall, T. Stanke, E. van Kampen, M. Bárta, J. Brand, F. Gueth, M. Hogerheijde, F. Bertoldi, T. Muxlow, A. Richards, and W. Vlemmings "The European ALMA Regional Centre: a model of user support", Proc. SPIE 9149, Observatory Operations: Strategies, Processes, and Systems V, 91490Y (6 August 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2054908

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available