Visitor Facilities

To support both ALMA data processing and scientific analysis activities, the UK ALMA Regional Centre Node offers meeting space and computing facilities for use by the general astronomical community.  These facilities include:

• Up to 10 desks with Linux workstations
• Teleconferencing facilities
• Video projector
• High-end data processing computers
• Additional break-out meeting rooms

These facilities are available for any ALMA users, including for the following uses:

• Proposal preparation
• Observation simulations
• Data processing and analysis
• Archival research
• Group meetings

Travelling to the UK ARC Node

The UK ARC Node is located in room 3.136 on the third floor of the Alan Turing Building on the University of Manchester main campus. 

The university is located close to Manchester city centre.  Frequent trains travel from the rest of the UK to Manchester Piccadilly Station.  Manchester Airport is about 20 km away and is accessible by a 15-30 minute train journey.  Additional travel information is available from the University of Manchester maps and travel webpage.

The Alan Turing Building  is on Upper Brook Street between Booth Street East and Brunswick Street. On the university's interactive map, it is building number 46. The building is about a 20 minute walk from Manchester Piccadilly Station.  A taxi from the station to the building takes 5-10 minutes and costs less than £5. The entrance to the building is on the southern side of the central block of the building. Upon entering the building, the lifts and stairs are to the right.

Arranging a Visit

To arrange a visit, please use the ALMA Helpdesk or send email to the following address:

Additional contact information is available on our Contact Information webpage.

University of Manchester Forms

The University of Manchester's Visitor Policy may require the submission of one of these visitor forms under certain circumstances:

• Visitor Agreement Form
• Visitor (Staff) Affiliation Request Form

The UK Government document detailed ATAS requirements website includes a list of countries for which ATAS is not required.

The University of Manchester IT account application form (for visitors) can be used to apply for a university account. This is needed for people to access JBCA computers remotely but not for people to use computers in person at the JBCA.

A 24 hour UoM wireless account can be created for visitors without eduroam access.

Financial Support

The UK ARC Node can also provide assistance on acquiring funding for travel. 

RadioNet/MARCUs Funding

Visitors from within Europe can apply for travel from RadioNet through the Mobility for ARC Users (MARCUs) work package.  More information is available from the ESO webpage on RadioNet funding for ALMA users, which also provides a link to the funding application page.

PATT Funding (17th March 2020 update)

Following a recent revision by STFC of the guidance on the use of PATT grants, PATT grants can now only be used to fund visits to the UK ARC Node with the explicit, case-by-case permission of STFC.

The guidance we have received from STFC is that PIs whose host institutions are unable to fund travel to the UK ARC Node from their consolidated grant, or other sources, can contact STFC with an explanation. STFC can then look at awarding funding in exceptional circumstances and will pay for travel if they decide that it is justified.

Please contact the UK ARC Node if you have any questions or concerns.

Visitor Feedback

After visiting the UK ARC Node, we ask that you fill in a feedback form.  Note that it is mandatory for people funded by MARCUs to fill in this form.

E-mail: Send to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
When calling from outside the UK, use +44 161 in place of 0161.

Helpdesk

help.almascience.org

Users need to register to use the Helpdesk. The Helpdesk can be used for general science enquiries about ALMA, for assistance regarding specific ALMA projects, or to arrange support (including support from the UK ARC Node).

Email

Phone and Fax

Phone: 0161 275 4243 (+44 161 275 4243 from outside UK)

Fax: 0161 275 0486 (+44 161 275 0486 from outside UK)

Mailing Address

UK ALMA Regional Centre Node
Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics
Oxford Road
The University of Manchester
Manchester M13 9PL
United Kingdom

ALMA as seen at night (from the ESO website; credit:  ESO/Y. Beletsky).

ALMA

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is composed of 66 antennas located in northern Chile on the Chajnantor Plateau at an altitude of 5000 m an a latitude of -23 degrees.  The dryness and stability of the air at this location make it ideal for observing millimetre and submillimetre radiation from astronomical objects.  The telescope, which began science observations in 2011, was constructed and is operated by an international collaboration including Europe (represented by the European Southern Observatory), North America (represented by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory), East Asia (represented by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan), and Chile, with activities coordinated by the Joint Astronomy Centre in Santiago, Chile.

The Alan Turing Building, which is the home of the UK ALMA Regional Centre Node (from the University of Manchester website).

UK ALMA Regional Centre Node

The UK ALMA Regional Centre (UK ARC), which is hosted by the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics (JBCA) at the University of Manchester and which is part of the Interferometry Centre of Excellence, provides support for UK scientists using the telescope.  The STFC-funded collaborative project also includes contributions from Cambridge University, Oxford University, the UK Astronomy Technology Centre (ATC) and the STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory. 

UK ARC Node Activities

The UK ARC supports ALMA users with multiple services including the following:

• Proposal planning and submission
• Observation preparation
• Enhanced data reduction and andanced analysis
• Dedicated high-end computer facilities
• Workshop and meeting organisation
• Informational monthly mailings on the status of ALMA
• Support of the ALMA Observation Support Tool

 The UK ARC has also been involved with technical development for ALMA, including the following:

• Optical fibres and data transmission system
• Waver vaour radiometer for phase correction
• Band 2/3 system
• Observing Tool
• Data processing pipeline
• Simulations (including the Observation Support Tool)
• Science archive

Acknowledgments

The UK ALMA Regiona Centre Node is supported by STFC Grant ST/P000827/1.

We thank IRIS (www.iris.ac.uk) for provision of high-performance computing facilities. STFC IRIS is investing in the UK's Radio and mm/sub-mm Interferometry Services in order to improve the data quality and allow much more data to be processed.