Support for the KP12m Telescope

AST-0130790该合同将使基特峰12米（KP 12米）毫米波望远镜能够继续运行18个月，同时亚利桑那大学（UA）制定了一项使用私人资金运营该设施的计划。 KP 12 m以前是国家射电天文台（NRAO）的国家用户设施。 美国和研究公司也将在私有化期间为运营提供资金。 私有化计划要求将KP 12 m和海因里希赫兹望远镜（位于亚利桑那州格雷厄姆山的亚毫米望远镜）的运营整合在一位董事之下，以降低总运营成本。联合航空将寻求其他合作伙伴组成一个联盟，长期运营这两台望远镜。 KP 12 m虽然已经有30多年的历史，但近年来继续产生重大的科学成果。 成功的私有化对科学的好处是，仍然有用的望远镜将继续使毫米天文学的研究成为可能，有助于维持美国毫米天文学家的社区，作为阿尔马（阿塔卡马大型毫米阵列）的前奏。 在桥接期间，望远镜时间将按NSF的运营负担比例分配给一般天文学界。 ***

AST-0130790This award will enable continued operations of the Kitt Peak 12m (KP12m) millimeter-wave telescope for 18 months while the University of Arizona (UA) puts in place a plan to operate the facility using private funds. The KP12m was formerly operated as a national user facility by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The UA and the Research Corporation will also contribute funds toward operations during the privatization period. The privatization plan calls for integration of the operations of the KP12m and the Heinrich Hertz Telescope, a submillimeter telescope on Mount Graham in Arizona, under a single director to reduce total operating costs. The UA will seek other partners to form a consortium to operate both telescopes for the longer term. The KP12m, though over 30 years old, has continued to produce significant scientific results in recent years. The benefit to science of successful privatization will be that a still useful telescope will continue to enable research in millimeter astronomy, helping to maintain the community of millimeter astronomers in the US as a prelude to ALMA (the Atacama Large Millimeter Array). During the bridge period, telescope time will be allocated to the general astronomical community in proportion to NSF's share of the operations burden. ***