Update on the ALMA Configuration Schedule for the Remainder of Cycle 3

This current news item provides an update and supersedes a previously posted news item on 31 March, 2016 on the Cycle 3 array configuration schedule - https://almascience.org/news/a-change-in-the-alma-configuration-near-the-end-of-cycle-3.

Poor weather at the ALMA site has resulted in more than a week of lost observing time. Owing to this lost time, the Joint ALMA Observatory
(JAO) has reevaluated the remaining observing programs and determined that a change is needed in the 12m configuration plan to maximize science for the remainder of Cycle 3. Therefore, a new configuration schedule is being implemented, as follows:

• remain in C40-4 until July 12
• move to C40-5 by July 19 and stay in C40-5 until August 23
• move to C40-6 by August 30 and stay in C40-6 until the end of Cycle 3 on September 30

The configurations C40-4, C40-5, and C40-6 are similar to configurations C36-4, C36-5, and C36-6, respectively, as described in the Cycle 3 proposal call.

Any data obtained for B graded observing programs in configurations C36-1, C36-2 and C36-3 will be processed and delivered to Principal Investigators (PIs) after data calibration and imaging are completed.

Cycle 3 Grade A proposals scheduled for configurations C36-1, C36-2, and C36-3 will be carried over to Cycle 4. PIs may request delivery of any raw data for any partially completed observations in these configurations by submitting a ticket to the "Archive and Data Retrieval" department of the ALMA Helpdesk (https://help.almascience.org).

Any and all additional questions should be submitted through the ALMA Helpdesk.