The arid landscape of the Chajnantor Plateau will temporarily fall silent as ALMA enters its annual maintenance period. Meticulously planned a year in advance, this critical window ensures uninterrupted operation and the efficiency of our equipment.
From January 29 to February 7, 2025, operations will pause for intensive maintenance. This period coincides with the challenging altiplanic winter, a season characterized by snowstorms, heavy rains, and electrical storms that hinder astronomical observations.
Maintenance will include rigorous inspections and repairs to ensure the observatory’s complex systems continue functioning, focusing on key components such as switchgears, transformers, and optical fibers. These activities span both the OSF, located at 3,000 meters, and the AOS, over 5,000 meters above sea level. In these extreme conditions, challenges include hypoxia and freezing temperatures. Strategic preparation, such as compacting the antenna array configuration, minimizes risks and facilitates safer access for maintenance crews.
Unwavering commitment to excellence
This year, maintenance coincides with favorable weather conditions, enabling smoother execution. Work will also be carried out on ALMA’s independent energy infrastructure, which operates off the national grid using gas turbines. Inspections and repairs during the Shutdown ensure an uninterrupted power supply for the observatory’s 66 antennas, spread across an area of up to 16 kilometers on the plateau.
Connecting the future
In Q4 2024, ALMA completed the installation of an electrical interface for the new OSF Correlator Room, OCRO, designed to house the future Advanced Technology ALMA Correlator (ATAC). Although the interface is installed, it is not yet connected, and the connection will occur during the Shutdown. This milestone represents the first WSU equipment to be connected to ALMA.
“The connection of this part of the power infrastructure of the new OSF Correlator Room will be the first real connection of WSU equipment to the ALMA system. It is exciting to see the WSU program starting implementation onsite,” noted Álvaro González, Deputy Director of Development.
The OCRO project marks a significant leap in ALMA’s capacity. According to Rolando Olivos, IMG Manager, connecting the interface will require shutting down the main transformer for approximately six hours to ensure worker safety. This task underscores ALMA’s commitment to the highest safety standards while advancing technological development.
Phil Jewell, NRAO Deputy Director, added, “The OSF Correlator Room is an essential part of the WSU. It provides the necessary room modifications, power, cooling, fire suppression, and environmental conditions to support the ATAC correlator, Total Power Spectrometer, Data Transmission System receiver, and other computing infrastructure. We’re delighted to see the project underway.”
Team perspectives
Rolando Olivos and Juan Larraín, OCRO’s Project Manager, highlighted the importance of meticulous planning and teamwork to minimize risks during this critical period. “There are three fundamental factors: detailed engineering, logistics management, and risk administration; clear communication to define roles and interfaces; and a skilled, experienced team,” Olivos shared.
When discussing what makes this Shutdown unique, Larraín emphasized the connection of the OCRO interface as a key feature. “The ATAC correlator will require significant power, so it was crucial to connect it directly to the observatory’s main transformer. This task, while challenging, will lay the foundation for future upgrades.”
Impact on scientific discovery
The new correlator is expected to significantly enhance ALMA’s data processing capacity. “It’s like moving from a single TV channel to multiple channels in 4K,” explained Olivos. This upgrade will allow for faster data collection, helping scientists unravel the mysteries of planetary formation, the origins of life, and black hole physics more efficiently.
Challenges and vision
Implementing the WSU infrastructure has not been without challenges. Coordination among international teams, maintaining operations during upgrades, and developing cutting-edge technologies are hurdles ALMA continues to overcome. “The key lies in motivation, a shared goal, and meticulous planning,” said Larraín.
Looking ahead, the team is focused on finalizing the WSU design, transitioning prototypes to operational systems, and expanding fiber-optic networks. Olivos added, “The journey is long, but the results will be transformative. ALMA will surpass itself, becoming an even more powerful tool for exploring the universe.”
A living machine
For the dedicated team at ALMA, the observatory is more than a facility; it is a living organism. This philosophy ensures that ALMA continues to unveil the mysteries of the cold universe, from the formation of planets to the chemical precursors of life itself. As operations resume post-Shutdown, ALMA reaffirms its commitment to pushing the boundaries of astronomical discovery under one sky shared by humanity.
0 Comments