MWA Directors Report Alan Whitney

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MWA Directors ReportAlan Whitney

• MWA Project Meeting
• Canberra
• 19-23 January 2009

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Topics

• Progress
• Challenges
• Looking forward

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Progress

• Highly successful Nov 07 site visit
• 32T tiles/beamformers and four recvrs deployed
  software correlator
• 1.5TB of 26T data collected on several sources
• Highly successful image making
• Performance verified to be close to expectations
• Sets the stage for full 32T demonstration over
  nextfew months

• NSF review in Boston last week
• Happy with the 26T results we presented
• NSF understands budget shortfalls due to delays
  and technical problems
• NSF remains committed to project, but is watching
  closely
• Supplemental funding a possibility

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More Progress

• Good progress on hardware correlator

• Project and budget are rapidly shaping up

• Tight and effective management team
• Interim Project Director (Alan Whitney, Haystack)
• Interim Project Manager (Steven Tingay, Curtin)
• Interim Project Scientist (Lincoln Greenhill,
  CfA)
• Interim Project Engineer (Frank Briggs, ANU)
• Commissioning Engineer (David Emrich, Curtin)
• Deputy Project Managers
• Roger Cappallo (U.S.)
• Uday Shankar (India)
• ST currently filling in (AU)

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Near-term challenges

• Successful AAL review to release NCRIS funds
• Must meet prescribed criteria, including
• Full project and budget plan for array completion
  mid Feb 09
• Successful 32T operation w/ hardware correlator
  mid-09
• First stage review to release 1st funding
  increment 2nd increment targeted for array
  completion in mid-2010
• Still much work to do
• Quite optimistic

• Facing challenge to stretch funds to full 512T

• Must find permanent PM
• Steven has agreed to stay until Jun 09
• Actively interviewing candidates
• To be based in Perth

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More near-term challenges

• Settle disposition of several workpackages
• Receiver
• Clock distribution system
• RTC selection

• Communications
• Geographic and institutional dispersion presents
  many challenges
• Good project management communications, but still
  wider project challenges
• Suggestions welcome
• New website coming alongsee preview at
  www.mwatelescope.org

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Looking forward

• Technical elements are now coming firmly
  together,but still a few rough spots to overcome

• Hope to report on full 32T success plus
  substantial new contributions to MWA coffers at
  Seattle meeting in June!

• We are on-track to complete the array in mid-2010!

• Community interest remains very high

Projection optimistic!
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Thanks to everyone for their hard work, teamwork
and dedication!