[asapmembers] [asapboard] ASAP members <asapmembers at areciboscience.org>

Wed Oct 4 22:44:04 UTC 2017

A separate donation page has been also set up by West Virginia University and the NanoGrav Collaboration:

https://advancing.wvu.edu/project/7939

> On Oct 4, 2017, at 3:35 PM, Alessondra Springmann <secretary at areciboscience.org> wrote:
> 
> 
> October 4, 2017
> 
> To the ASAP Membership:
> 
> 
> The Observatory staff holding the Puerto Rican flag in front of the line feed. 
> Credit: Arecibo Observatory Staff
> 
> We have been watching the news from Puerto Rico for the last few weeks and want to express our horror at the events that happened in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria to the island and people we all love and appreciate.  Shocked by the latest reports from Puerto Rico we hesitated to send out this update, so we hope you will forgive us for our tardiness in exchange for a detailed variety of information about the staff and facilities.
> 
> The information provided here should be considered preliminary and unverified due to current difficulties in communication.  Because of the rapidly evolving situation, information can change daily or hourly.  
> 
> Most importantly: observatory staff have all been accounted for and survived the hurricane <https://twitter.com/NAICobservatory/status/914859958637916162>!
> 
> More detailed updates follow.
> 
> OBSERVATORY/STAFF STATUS UPDATE FROM USRA/JOAN SCHMELZ
> The following information was conveyed to Deputy Directory Joan Schmelz (USRA) via USRA staff members Robert Minchin, Patrick Taylor, Ed Rivera, Andrew Seymour, and astronomer emeritus Gerrit Verschuur. All but Robert sheltered at the site during the Maria.  Joan Schmelz was off-island at the time of the storm but has since returned to the observatory.
> 
> Observatory facilities and staff survived the hurricane. The initial information about staff and the facilities in the immediate days after the hurricane was relayed by Ángel Vasquez via ham radio to the mainland. Some staff members sheltered on site. Some of them who lost their homes moved to the site immediately after the storm.
> 
> Schmelz emphasized, “Arecibo Observatory is so much more than just a telescope. It served as a shelter during the storm and a haven in the aftermath.”
> 
> Since the storm and the initial communications via Ángel and his ham radio, USRA provided a satellite phone to the observatory and a more thorough overview was given about the current status of staff, facilities, and scientific operations via Deputy Director Joan Schmelz. Some damage has been reported by staff members, including the loss of the 430 MHz line feed, several damaged panels of the main reflector, damaged panels on the catwalk, damage to the 12-meter antenna, as well as some damage to the buildings on site.  However, the platform, tie downs, Gregorian dome, platform motion control, and the control room are all functioning.  Staff members inspected the tie-downs under the dish via kayak. 
> 
> In spite of the damage to the site, science operations have resumed at AO as of September 26.  LIDAR operations began on September 26. The 327 MHz receiver was cool as of September 28, and pulsar drift scans resumed Friday (September 29).
> 
> Thank you, Joan, for keeping us updated on the observatory and its staff, and for providing valuable information on how things are at AO.
>  
> NEWS ARTICLES ABOUT ARECIBO OBSERVATORY
> Updates on the status of the site are provided in the following articles:
> http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/09/arecibo-radio-telescope-damaged-puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-science/ <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2017/09/arecibo-radio-telescope-damaged-puerto-rico-hurricane-maria-science/>
> http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/09/hurricane-damage-threatens-arecibo-observatory-s-future <http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/09/hurricane-damage-threatens-arecibo-observatory-s-future>
> http://spacenews.com/damage-to-arecibo-less-than-feared/ <http://spacenews.com/damage-to-arecibo-less-than-feared/>
> http://www.ibtimes.com/arecibo-observatory-puerto-rico-telescope-may-restart-friday-2595211 <http://www.ibtimes.com/arecibo-observatory-puerto-rico-telescope-may-restart-friday-2595211>
> These articles include recent photos of the damaged line feed and a satellite image of the main reflector.
> 
> NSF ENVIRONMENTAL REVIEW UPDATE
> The NSF has provided the following statement about Arecibo Observatory and Hurricane Maria
> https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=243248&org=NSF&from=news <https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=243248&org=NSF&from=news>
> There are some insinuations NSF may use damage to the observatory to ramp up the divestment process from the site (see Science article above), but we hope the assistance the observatory provides to surrounding communities during the storm and its continued scientific operation shows the utility of keeping Arecibo Observatory fully funded and operational.
> 
> The NSF has delayed a teleconference about executing a Programmatic Agreement, the original email excerpted appears below.  
> 
> Dear interested parties,
>  
> We here at NSF wish you the best as you recover from Hurricane Irma and as you prepare for Hurricane Maria.  As you know, the final consulting parties meeting has been put on hold until the situation in San Juan and at Arecibo is stabilized. Please stay safe.
>  
> In the meantime, we have heard concerns from one consulting party and one stakeholder that delays to the Section 106 process could be impacting the timing of NSF’s decision.  A Programmatic Agreement that addresses how adverse effects to historic properties would need to be executed before NSF could execute a Record of Decision that identifies a selected alternative.  A revised draft PA was shared with you and posted to the AST website on August 17th.
>  
> In order to keep moving forward, we would like to tentatively reschedule the consulting parties teleconference for next Thursday, September 28th (details below). Prior to the meeting, NSF will email or call all ten consulting parties and the State Historic Preservation Officer’s staff to confirm that they are able to call in- if not we will provide further opportunity for their participation in finalizing the document as appropriate.  If it is not a good time for a meeting due to storm damage, we would of course postpone the meeting again.  If you would like us to call you on a particular number, please send that to me now.  Any member of the public is welcome to call in to this teleconference, though given the delays in our process the focus of the meeting will be to hear from the State Historic Preservation Officer, the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, and consulting parties with regard to finalization of the PA.   
> 
> [...]
> 
> Please let us know if you have any concerns about this rescheduling, as we are trying to keep the process moving while remaining sensitive to this extraordinary hurricane season that you are coping with in Puerto Rico. Please do take care, and we hope to speak with you soon.
>  
> Sincerely,
>  
> Elizabeth Pentecost
> 
> The draft PA, among other environmental review documents about AO, are is available here:
> https://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/env_impact_reviews/arecibo/arecibo_section106.jsp <https://www.nsf.gov/mps/ast/env_impact_reviews/arecibo/arecibo_section106.jsp>
> COMMUNITY SUPPORT AFTER THE HURRICANE
> Arecibo Observatory, as we all know, represents excellent and flexible scientific hardware, but also is an important part of the immediate community in Esperanza.  This shows especially in situations of utter emergency when the observatory provides shelter, water, and power to people affected by calamity. The surrounding communities were battered by Hurricane Maria, but were able to receive water from the observatory due to its generators and deep well.  The observatory staff and the surrounding communities continue take care of each other weeks after the hurricane passed.
> 
> An edited update from Tapasi Gosh who is in Arecibo, via Pia Salter-Gosh, conveyed by satellite phone:
> “People are working heroically and doing their best. Things are already working at the observatory and locals have been helping out too with fixing trees and facilities, so please keep supporting the observatory and lobbying for its survival.  AO and the local community have been working together and they have indeed been getting water there.  The locals didn't wait for FEMA, they turned out with boots and machetes to clear the road to the telescope and remove fallen trees around it.  Tapasi described it as ‘the Puerto Rican spirit’ where everyone showed up to help out.”
> 
> WAYS TO HELP PUERTO RICO
> In spite of the reported progress of US government aid to the island, we remain upset about the extensive destruction, cost to human life, and wellbeing in Puerto Rico, as well as the slow US government response to the disaster on the island. 
> 
> If you are looking for ways to assist Arecibo staff members, as well as the surrounding communities, USRA has set up a donation page to help staff affected by the hurricane:
> https://www.gofundme.com/AreciboStaffAid-USRA <https://www.gofundme.com/AreciboStaffAid-USRA>
> There are a variety of other organizations collecting donations for Puerto Rico.
> http://unidosporpuertorico.com/en/ <http://unidosporpuertorico.com/en/>
> https://hispanicfederation.org/unidos/ <https://hispanicfederation.org/unidos/>
> http://www.diasporicans.com/donations#funds <http://www.diasporicans.com/donations#funds>
> Please consider making a donation to a group involved in the recovery. In spite of the reported progress the conditions on the island are severe and donation will help people in parts of the island harder to reach than the metro area.
> 
> We finish with an image of the Gregorian dome along the azimuth arm of the platform, provided by Joan Schmelz.  
> 
> 
> For the ASAP board,
> Natalia Lewandowska and Alessondra Springmann
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
> asapmembers mailing list
> asapmembers at areciboscience.org
> http://areciboscience.org/mailman/listinfo/asapmembers_areciboscience.org
> _______________________________________________
> asapboard mailing list
> asapboard at areciboscience.org
> http://areciboscience.org/mailman/listinfo/asapboard_areciboscience.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://areciboscience.org/pipermail/asapmembers_areciboscience.org/attachments/20171004/ac871b94/attachment.html>