In collaboration with the Centre des Données astronomiques de Strasbourg (CDS), the astronomical data headers for all projects observed since December 1990 with the Plateau de Bure Interferometer were made available on the Internet. For now, the archive provides information up to September 2003 on source coordinates, on-source integration time, frequencies, observing modes, array configurations, project identification codes, and other observational parameters.
The archive is already in its second release, and regular updates are planned in March and September. To preserve the confidentiality of all information submitted in the proposals, the data headers are protected for one year from the date of project completion. We welcome users' comments on the current release and suggestions on how it may be improved.
The CDS service is open for searching and listing without restrictions. The VizieR Catalogue Service at http://vizier.u-strasbg.fr/cgi-bin/VizieR provides direct access to the Plateau de Bure database: just enter IRAM or B/IRAM as catalogue name. We invite users of the Plateau de Bure Interferometer to consult the archive before proposing for observing time.
The policies about the release and proprietory rights for the associated raw data are currently under discussion.