Record Number of Observing Hours in Cycle 10

At the conclusion of Cycle 10 at the end of September, the ALMA 12-m Array had acquired a total of 4250 hours of observations. This achievement greatly surpassed the previous record of 3787 hours of data acquired during Cycle 5. Additionally, the 7-m Array set a record of 3769 hours of data taken, and the Total Power Array set a record of 2723 hours of science observing. Special recognition has been given to the efforts and dedication of the ALMA staff for this achievement.

 

Şeyma Mercimek Joins the UK ARC Node

Starting in late October 2024, Şeyma Mercimek started a new position at the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics where she will be devoting 30% of her time to ALMA support work.

Şeyma received her Ph.D. from Arcetri Observatory at the University of Florence, where she was a Marie Curie fellow. She also performed a short-term internship at the Institut de Radioastronomie Millimétrique (IRAM) during her studies. Şeyma’s research focused on studying our chemical origin using single-dish and interferometric observations of low-mass star-forming regions.

At the University of Manchester, Şeyma’s research will mainly involve working on the magnetic fields associated with high-mass star formation along with complementary molecular line analyses to understand how magnetic fields affect star formation activity. This work is being done as part of the ERC Synergy project ECOGAL.

 

Applications Invited for UK ALMA Research Associate

Job advertisement
Application deadline: 15 November 2024

Applications are invited for a research associate position in the UK ALMA Regional Centre Node headed by Prof. Gary Fuller at the JBCA. The holder of this position will play a leading role in the UK ARC Node and EU ARC user support, science and development activities. The appointee will spend 75% of their time as part of the team supporting astronomers planning ALMA observations, acquiring and processing data. For the remaining 25% of their time the successful candidate will be expected to engage in their own independent research program focused on ALMA science.

This is a full-time post available from 1 January 2025 and will be offered on a fixed-term contract for 26 months. The UK ARC Node policy is to maintain a stable group of staff and so the position is likely to be extended for future years depending on funding and performance.

The link to the application submission site and additional information about the position can be found on the webpage for the job advertisement. Applicants should submit a CV and publication list, the name and email addresses of three people who have agreed to provide references together with a research statement 2-3 pages in length outlining their research skills and experience, and plans for how they would apply these in this position. The closing date for applications is 15 November 2024.

 

Band 1 Science Verification Data

In late November 2024, ALMA plans to release new Science Verification data featuring Band 1 spectral scan observations of Orion KL. This will demonstrate the telescope’s capabilities for spectral line observing at lower frequencies. When the data are released, a new announcement will be posted online, and the data will be published on the Science Verification data page.

 

UK ALMA Regional Centre Support Information and Contact Details

The UK ALMA Regional Centre Node is available to provide support to people working with or interested in working with ALMA. This may include help with preparatory data analysis, including the use of archival data, proposal and observing preparation, data calibration and imaging, and subsequent data analyses. We can also provide computing facilities for ALMA data processing and training for individuals or groups of people.

If you have any ALMA science results that they want to share with the UK ALMA community, please contact us, and we will endeavour to include those results in our next newsletter and on our website.

For any ALMA-related queries or support requests, please contact the UK ARC Node via the following:

ALMA Helpdesk: help.almascience.org
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: www.alma.ac.uk