Preface

This book contains the updated proceedings from the summer schools held at IRAM in Grenoble from September 14 to September 18, 1998 for IMISS1 and from June 12 to June 16, 2000 for IMISS2. Both schools were attended by more than 50 participants from abroad. Not all lectures have been put in written form: the schools also included a general introduction to millimeter astronomy by Dr. Clemens THUM (IRAM). IMISS2 also contained an introduction on interferometry from the point of view of the quantum mechanics by Dr. Dennis DOWNES (IRAM). A visit to the IRAM interferometer on Plateau de Bure was an essential part of the first school. In the second one, visits to the receiver and correlator laboratories were organized.

The schools would not have occurred without the dedication of Mrs Catherine BERJAUD, who kindly took care of all logistics problems before and during the schools. Dr. Stéphane GUILLOTEAU is also thanked for organizing IMISS1 and doing the edition of the first series of lectures.

During IMISS1, the visit to the interferometer would not have been possible without the contribution of the technical and operator staff of the telescope. Special thanks to the operators Sophie LEONARDON, Michel DAN and André RAMBAUD who also made the films which were presented as an introduction to the Plateau de Bure interferometer at IMISS2. We also acknowledge the receiver and correlator groups who managed the visits to the labs during IMISS2.

We also thank Alain PERRIGOUARD and Roger AHTCHOU for help with the video equipment which gave us a lot of fun during the ``real time'' sessions.

Finally, Anne DUTREY would like to thank Mrs Cathy BERJAUD for a careful reading of the manuscript, fighting against the last typo errors.