The UK ALMA Regional Centre Node: 2024 - 2027

The Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA) is located in the Atacama desert in Chile, 5000m above sea-level. ALMA is the world's premier telescope operating at millimetre and sub-millimetre wavelengths. At these wavelengths ALMA probes the cool gas and dust in the Universe, allowing the study of the formation and evolution of galaxies, stars and planets. The UK has played a significant role in the design and construction of the telescope and continues to be a major user of ALMA.

As part of the European ALMA Regional Center (ARC) network, the UK ARC Node helps UK astronomers produce world-leading science with ALMA. The UK ARC Node does this by providing direct support to UK ALMA users, and potential users of ALMA, at all the different stages in the life-cycle of an ALMA project, from an initial science idea and proposal, to the final data analysis and the publication of the resulting science.

In addition, the UK ARC Node contributes to the enhancement of ALMA operations and its science delivery with a program of development activities which aim to ease access to ALMA for astronomers and improve the quality of the final data it delivers. The UK ARC Node also undertakes outreach and engagement activities to inform the public about ALMA, the science it does and the opportunities science and engineering provide.

The UK ARC Node is hosted in the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at The University of Manchester and this proposal is to continue the funding of the UK ARC Node.