Radio, Millimeter and Submillimeter Planning Group
Summary of the RMSPG telecon  24Jan05    12nEST
                                                                                                
Present: Geoff Blake, Don Campbell, John Carlstrom, Neal Evans,
   Martha Haynes, Ken Kellermann, Al Marscher,
   Jim Moran, Steve Myers, Mark Reid, Jack Welch


1. Several members of the PG attended the NSF Town Meeting at
   the AAS meeting. Wayne van Citters' presentation largely echoed
   our telecon of Dec 27, the main points being (1) The MREFC line 
   is overbooked and no longer funds D&D; (2) the planned AST senior
   review follows the recommendation of the 2000 AASC report; (3)
   NSF AST wants to redirect ~$20M of the annual budget to support
   new activities. During the discussion period, questions were
   raised about the appropriateness of AUI sponsorship of our
   activity and why had NSF not set up a committee itself. WvC
   deferred to MH who relayed the history, pointing out that AUI
   delegated the current task to the same individuals who prepared the 
   AASC Radio/submm report for the NRC, whereas in OIR, the task
   was delegated to the director of NOAO. 

   It was agreed that we should refer to our purview explicitly
   as "Radio, millimeter and submillimeter" astronomy, hereinafter "RMS".

2. Some discussion of how to present our program took place. It was agreed 
   that we need to be sensitive to any perceived conflict of interest
   regarding AUI/NRAO and also to the possibility of exclusion due
   to our lack of awareness. MH has written to NSF asking for their
   input on any proposals/awards at NSF for facilities/projects that
   are missing from our list. Also, it is recognized that we cannot
   recommend funding for specific proposals since we are not a
   proposal review committee. Rather, we should focus on the
   facility capabilities that are needed to accomplish our science
   objectives. The refereeing of proposals falls to NSF and the
   peer review system.

3. JC pointed out that a task for on CMB programs, chaired by Ray
   Weiss at MIT, is to report to the AAAC at its Feb 2005 meeting.
   He and SM suggest that we should present a summary of CMB
   programmatics and needs but that we should not duplicate the
   work of this other CMB-specific task force.
                                                                                                
4. MH reviewed the status of facility reports. All reports are now
   in except SMA (promised by Moran), ARO (promised by Ziurys by 1/28)
   and SIRA (MH to query McDowell again). MH hopes to get the
   individual project summaries back to their contacts for comments
   within a week.
                                                                                                
5. Subcommittee status reports were presented. Progress is on-going.
   The general discussion allowed for cross-subcommittee exchange
   where issues overlap. It was emphasized again that the starting
   point is the 2000 RMS panel report with the current one being
   an update. Brevity as a virtue was emphasized. Reports and
   leaders are as folllows:
   a. Science updates (Neal)
      An outline has been circulated and sections are coming
      together. This will feed into other sections
   b. Technology requirements to meet science goals (Ken)
      Several ideas have been exchanged; something like a matrix
      will be developed.
   c. Facilities matrix: how the RMS portfolio maps to the science
      goals (Mark)
      Mark presented several interesting diagrams that show the
      portfolio in terms of wavelength coverage, angular resolution
      and science. It was agreed we need also to illustrate also
      sensititivity/imaging speed/survey speed.
   d. Synergies with other major projects worldwide, across the
      spectrum and with other disciplines (Alan)
   e. Historical facilities: close-out of facilities as better ones
      come on line  (Don)
 
6. MH reported that AUI has agreed to allow planning for a
   face-to-face meeting of the panel in early March on the assumption
   that NSF will (eventually) provide support. 

7. Next telecon Mon Feb 7 at 12N EST.