News from the interferometer

Observations

Snowstorms, winds and highly unseasonal temperatures have determined the weather this winter at Plateau de Bure. Nevertheless, all A-rated proposals are now completed with only a few exceptions, and a small number of (lucky) B-rated proposals was finally scheduled for observations. Because of springtime conditions, however, observations at 1.3-mm can now be carried out only during nighttime. We remind users of the Plateau de Bure interferometer that B-rated proposals which were not started have to be resubmitted again. The daily status of all ongoing projects is accessible on the Internet http://iram.fr/doc/project.html

Roberto Neri

Antennas

The construction of the 6th antenna is proceeding very close to schedule. The photo, as of April 9th, shows the antenna in the hangar on Plateau de Bure: the pedestal and the transporter were already finished in February and work is now on progress on the yoke and on the receiver cabin. The thermal insulation of the yoke is underway and the installation of the main electrical equipment will be tackled in the days to come. The assembly of the 15-m reflector will start in September.

Thierry Crouzet and Roberto Neri

  

Figure 2: Counterweights were placed at the cabin level (on the front suspension and in the back of the receiver cabin) to set up the fine adjustment of the elevation block. Work on the protective covering of the pedestal and the yoke is already underway.