Dr. Bernhard Lopez Profile

Dr. Bernhard Lopez

ACADA Deputy Coordinator and Quality Manager at Cherenkov Telescope Array Observatory (CTAO)

SPIE Involvement:

Conference Program Committee | Author

Proceedings Article | 13 December 2020 Presentation + Paper

Operations management for recent and future large astronomical facilities: thoughts on best practices and key concepts

Bernhard Lopez, Stuartt Corder, Nicholas Whyborn, Norikazu Mizuno, Jorge Ibsen, Elizabeth Humphreys

Proceedings Volume 11449, 1144912 (2020) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2560664

KEYWORDS: Astronomy, Observatories

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Proceedings Article | 26 August 2016 Paper

Problem reporting and tracking system: a systems engineering challenge

Vasco Cortez, Bernhard Lopez, Nicholas Whyborn, Roberto Price, Octavio Hernandez, Stefan Gairing, Emilio Barrios, Hector Alarcon

Proceedings Volume 9911, 99111L (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2231853

KEYWORDS: Systems engineering, Observatories, Failure analysis, Astronomy, Prototyping, Neodymium, Chemical elements, Mining, Ions, Printed circuit board testing

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Proceedings Article | 15 July 2016 Paper

Centralized operations and maintenance planning at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA)

Bernhard Lopez, Nicholas Whyborn, Serge Guniat, Octavio Hernandez, Stefan Gairing

Proceedings Volume 9910, 99100M (2016) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2230992

KEYWORDS: Observatories, Telescopes, Calibration, Stars, Spectrographs, Sensors, Cameras, Electroluminescent displays, Charge-coupled devices, Signal detection

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Proceedings Article | 4 August 2014 Paper

The ALMA assembly, integration, and verification project: a retrospective analysis

B. Lopez, L. B. Knee, H. Jager, N. Whyborn, J. McMullin, R. Murowinski, A. Peck, S. Corder

Proceedings Volume 9150, 91500B (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2056310

KEYWORDS: Antennas, Telescopes, Observatories, Astronomy, Radio astronomy, Adaptive optics, Lead, Synthetic apertures, Calibration, Systems modeling

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The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a joint project between astronomical organizations in Europe, North America, and East Asia, in collaboration with the Republic of Chile. ALMA consists of 54 twelve-meter antennas and 12 seven-meter antennas operating as an aperture synthesis array in the (sub)millimeter wavelength range. Assembly, Integration, and Verification (AIV) of the antennas was completed at the end of the year 2013, while the final optimization and complete expansion to validate all planned observing modes will continue. This paper compares the actually obtained results of the period 2008-2013 with the baselines that had been laid out in the early project-planning phase (2005-2007). First plans made for ALMA AIV had already established a two-phased project life-cycle: phase 1 for setting up necessary infrastructure and common facilities, and taking the first three antennas to the start of commissioning; and phase 2 focused on the steady state processing of the remaining units. Throughout the execution of the project this lifecycle was refined and two additional phases were added, namely a transition phase between phases 1 and 2, and a closing phase to address the project ramp-down. A sub-project called Accelerated Commissioning and Science Verification (ACSV) was carried out during the year 2009 in order to provide focus to the whole ALMA organization, and to accomplish the start-of-commissioning milestone. Early phases of CSV focused on validating the basic performance and calibration. Over time additional observing modes have been validated as capabilities expanded both in hardware and software. This retrospective analysis describes the originally presented project staffing plans and schedules, the underlying assumptions, identified risks and operational models, among others. For comparison actual data on staffing levels, the resultant schedule, additional risks identified and those that actually materialized, are presented. The observed similarities and differences are then analyzed and explained, and corresponding lessons learned are presented.

Proceedings Article | 25 September 2012 Paper

Assembly, integration, and verification (AIV) in ALMA: series processing of array elements

Bernhard Lopez, Rieks Jager, Nicholas Whyborn, Lewis B. Knee, Joseph McMullin

Proceedings Volume 8449, 84490P (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.925079

KEYWORDS: Antennas, Astronomy, Observatories, Adaptive optics, Telescopes, Interferometers, Systems engineering, Synthetic apertures, Radio astronomy, Systems modeling

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Proceedings Article | 17 September 2012 Paper

ALMA array element astronomical verification

S. Asayama, L. B. Knee, P. Calisse, P. Cortés, R. Jager, B. López, C. López, T. Nakos, N. Phillips, M. Radiszcz, R. Simon, I. Toledo, N. Whyborn, H. Yatagai, J. McMullin, P. Planesas

Proceedings Volume 8444, 84443F (2012) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.926228

KEYWORDS: Antennas, Astronomy, Adaptive optics, Interferometry, Observatories, Spectroscopy, System integration, Switching, Reflectors, Polarization

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Proceedings Article | 6 August 2010 Paper

Engineering within the assembly, verification, and integration (AIV) process in ALMA

Bernhard Lopez, Joseph McMullin, Nicholas Whyborn, Eugene Duvall

Proceedings Volume 7733, 77335B (2010) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.858110

KEYWORDS: Antennas, Receivers, Astronomy, Safety, Holography, Cryogenics, Electronics, Telescopes, Control systems, Process modeling

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The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a joint project between astronomical organizations in Europe, North America, and East Asia, in collaboration with the Republic of Chile. ALMA will consist of at least 54 twelve-meter antennas and 12 seven-meter antennas operating as an interferometer in the millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelength range. It will be located at an altitude above 5000m in the Chilean Atacama desert. As part of the ALMA construction phase the Assembly, Verification and Integration (AIV) team receives antennas and instrumentation from Integrated Product Teams (IPTs), verifies that the sub-systems perform as expected, performs the assembly and integration of the scientific instrumentation and verifies that functional and performance requirements are met. This paper aims to describe those aspects related to the AIV Engineering team, its role within the 4-station AIV process, the different phases the group underwent, lessons learned and potential space for improvement. AIV Engineering initially focused on the preparation of the necessary site infrastructure for AIV activities, on the purchase of tools and equipment and on the first ALMA system installations. With the first antennas arriving on site the team started to gather experience with AIV Station 1 beacon holography measurements for the assessment of the overall antenna surface quality, and with optical pointing to confirm the antenna pointing and tracking capabilities. With the arrival of the first receiver AIV Station 2 was developed which focuses on the installation of electrical and cryogenic systems and incrementally establishes the full connectivity of the antenna as an observing platform. Further antenna deliveries then allowed to refine the related procedures, develop staff expertise and to transition towards a more routine production process. Stations 3 and 4 deal with verification of the antenna with integrated electronics by the AIV Science Team and is not covered directly in this paper. It is believed that both continuous improvement and the clear definition of the AIV 4-station model were key factors in achieving the goal of bringing the antennas into a state that is well enough characterized in order to smoothly start commissioning activities.

Proceedings Article | 21 July 2008 Paper

Software regression testing: practical experience at the ALMA test facility

B. Lopez, R. Araya, N. Barriga, P. Burgos, S. Harrington, T. Juerges, J. Kern, J. Sepulveda, R. Soto, N. Troncoso, M. Zambrano

Proceedings Volume 7019, 70192X (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.788204

KEYWORDS: Software development, Astronomy, Antennas, Hardware testing, Radio astronomy, Observatories, Software engineering, Large telescopes, Clouds, Telescopes

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Showing 5 of 8 publications

Conference Committee Involvement (4)

Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes X

16 June 2024 | Yokohama, Japan

Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IX

17 July 2022 | Montréal, Québec, Canada

Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes VIII

14 December 2020 | Online Only, California, United States

Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes VIII

13 December 2020 | San Diego, California, United States

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