This program has been used to identify 30 Seyfert galaxies with extended (<0.3") radio jets and guide stars suitable for the ALTAIR natural guide star system.

A similar number of nearby massive black hole candidate galaxies are known to exist. These are predominantly S0 galaxies.

Further object lists will be generated and signal-to-noise ratio issues will be revisited when real observing samples are in-hand.

2 Project Manager’s Report

Although the NIFS contract has not yet been fully executed, RSAA submits this monthly report on NIFS activities, covering the period from 2 to 27 October 2000.

The period of uncertainty waiting for NSF approval of the NIFS contract still continues. RSAA continued design and fabrication work, but has not placed any further orders for equipment and materials. This may cause delays in the purchase and delivery of long leadtime items, eventually impacting on project completion. It is also holding up negotiations on a contract for cooperation with UH. IGPO has organised a side contract for NIFS, advancing US$100k on the NIFS contract with no further obligation on ANU. ANU lawyers are currently reviewing this side contract. Procurement will resume on receipt of payment for this side contract.

The continuing non-availability of NIRI as-built documentation hampers progress on CC and IS software development, control system design and procurement, and cryostat and OIWFS duplication.

2.1 Staffing

There have been no further developments in the search for competent mechanical design and workshop staff.

The electronics technical officer vacancy has eventually been filled by internal transfer. This leaves another vacancy to be filled at a lower level. We are exploring the possibilities to fill the temporary position to allow the fabrication of the NIFS control system.

2.2 Progress

Our review of the optical design of the spectrograph needed some minor adjustments. Suitable sheet metal material for the fabrication of the field slicer has been procured.

The assembly design of the grating mechanism has been completed. The flip mirror assembly has been started. Design of the system from pick-up mirror to slicer has been progressed.

The mechanical workshop has continued to fabricate components for the NIRI duplication. The design modifications for the fixed OIWFS detector mount are in progress. The OIWFS optable machining can be ordered as soon as funds become available.

Further quotes are being sought for the control system hardware.

A recent version of the NIRI Components Controller software has been modified to reflect the different NIFS mechanisms. The details at the hardware interaction level need a better understanding. The detector controller software design has seen more progress.

The design of the detector mounting board has progressed. The Lakeshore detector temperature controller has arrived and a liquid nitrogen dewar has been fitted with some parts to assess temperature control performance under various circumstances.

2.3 Schedule

No further effort has been expended on revising the schedule. It is intended to revise the schedule when NIFS funds are available again.

3 Technical Progress

3.1 Completed Tasks

No tasks were formally completed during the reporting period.

Task WBS	hrs	Finish Date	Title	Deliverables
2.4.1	198⁽¹⁾	6 Oct 00	Finalise Optical Design Excl Camera	N/A
2.4.2	87	6 Oct 00	Revise Camera Design	Report and Zemax file
2.4.12	10	20 Oct 00	Revise Nominal Specifications	Zemax file
2.4.13	176	6 Oct 00	Determine Temperature Compensated Specifications	Zemax file

Notes:

1. 7 hrs was added to the already closed task for a minor review.

3.2 Tasks in Progress

2.1.1 NIFS Critical Design - Project Management

A continuing task. JvH: 29 hrs.

2.1.6 PS Miscellaneous

A continuing task to record various activities. PJM: 2 hrs.

2.2.1 Revise OCDD

No progress this period.

2.2.2 Revise FPRD

No progress this period.

2.2.3 Science Case

Looking for more targets: PM 65 hrs.

2.3.1 Requirements Analysis

No progress this period.

2.4.6 Revise Error Budget and Specify Tolerances

No progress this period.

2.4.16 Specify and Negotiate IFU Machining

JH: 68 hrs.

2.4.17 Negotiate Diamond Turning of Non-IFU Mirrors

JH: 15 hrs.

2.5.2.3 Disperser Turret Design

Continued: LP 60 hrs.

2.5.2.4 Develop IFU

Some progress this period. JdS 5 hrs.

2.5.2.6 Design Array and TriFold Mirror

No progress this period.

2.5.2.7 Detector Mount Design

PC and RM: 22 hrs.

2.5.2.10 Design Entrance Turret

Assembly design for entrance turret. PC: 40 hrs

2.5.2.12 Camera Mount Design

No progress this period.

2.5.2.13 Design Baffle System

No progress this period.

2.7.4 Component Controller Software

MJ: 61 hrs.

2.7.6 Detector Controller Software

PJY: 69.5 hrs.

4.1.1 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Project Management

A continuing task. JvH: 7.5 hrs.

4.2.1 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Design and Supervision

A continuing task. GJ and others: 126 hrs.

4.2.2 Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication – Parts Fabrication

Workshop effort 390 hrs this period.

4.3.1 Control system – Design and Supervision

Prepare purchasing list and request quotes. MID: 16.25 hrs.

5.8.7.1 Test Cryostat Temperature Control – Design Control system

MDD: 50 hrs.

3.3 Documents Issued

No documents were issued during the reporting period:

Document ID	Rev	Date	Title

4 Schedule Progress

4.1 Updated Schedule

The schedule has not been updated this period. The current schedule is the schedule included in the “NIFS Revised Costing”. A schedule revised for the expected delivery dates of the detectors and the late start on cryostat and OIWFS duplication has been developed. It also takes into account the proposed delayed CDR. This revised schedule was submitted during September. Further changes will have to be made for the actual detector delivery dates and the effects of delayed orders for long leadtime items resulting from the NIFS contract uncertainty.

4.2 Project Statistics

19 people have contributed to the NIFS project during this period. They worked a total of 1082 hours, bringing the total for the project to 5041 hrs, which represents approximately 16.6% of the total number of hours in the current project plan.

4.3 Milestones

Listed below are the milestones defined in the NIFS contract. No milestones were due during the reporting period.

Event	Date	Status
(1)Contract fully signed	August 2000	pending
(2) Placement of order for vacuum jacket forging	August 2000	completed
(3) AURA approval of Final FPRD and OCDD	5 December 2000
(4) AURA approval of Detailed Design Documentation after CDR	January 2001
(5) Start of first Cryostat and OIWFS cooldown	14 May 2001
(6) Completion of Cryostat and OIWFS Duplication (As task is described in Conceptual Design Documentation)	4 October 2001
(7) Completion of Spectrograph Construction (As task is described in Conceptual Design Documentation)	22 March 2002
(8) Authorization to ship instrument given by AURA	19 July 2002
(9) Completion of all Work and Final Acceptance given by AURA	1 October 2002

5 Financial Progress

The exchange rate used is the rate applicable to a particular transaction, or the rate on the last day of the reporting period. On 27 October 2000 the rate was 0.522.

5.1 Income

No income was gained during the reporting period.

5.2 Outgoings

5.2.1 Labour

The NIFS account was charged for 1015 hrs of work from 2 to 27 October 2000. This is the total number of hours (1082) minus the hours for the Project Scientist (67). The total charge is US$35,525 (A$68,056)

5.2.2 Other Costs

5.2.2.1 Expenditure

The following expenditure was incurred during the reporting period.

2.4.2 Revise Camera Design

Prime Optics US$ 689 A$ 1,320

2.7.1 Control Software – Setup Development System

DC CPU and Accessories US$11,325 A$21,695

-------------- ------------

total US$ 12,014 A$23,015

5.2.2.2 Commitments

The ANU accounting system also includes ‘commitments’, where a purchase order has been raised, but goods or services have not yet been delivered, invoiced and paid. New commitments are listed here, but not included in the financial status report.

No further commitments were entered into.

5.3 Financial Status

Date	Description	Income (US$)	Income (A$)	Outgoings (US$)	Outgoings (A$)
29 Jul 00	Labour			37,940	64,524
01 Sep 00	Labour			48,125	83,696
01 Sep 00	Other Costs			1,607	2,773
29 Sep 00	Labour			44,205	82,626
29 Sep 00	Other Costs			7,748	14,483
27 Oct 00	Labour			35,525	68,056
27 Oct 00	Other Costs			12,014	23,015
27 Oct 00	Balance			187,164	339,173

6 Problem Areas

6.1 Technical Problems

The only technical problem impeding project progress is the unavailability of as-built information on NIRI and its control software and examples of manuals and plans.

6.2 Scheduling Problems

The purchase and delivery of items on the critical path of the project may be delayed because of RSAA hesitation to commit to large external purchases without the backing of a contract.

6.3 Financial Problems

RSAA will continue to provide labour for the NIFS project, but will make no further large external commitments until a payment has been received from IGPO. Ordering of the OIWFS optable machining, the OIWFS lenses, the SDSU controllers and parts for the control system are on hold.

7 Action Items

The following Action Items are outstanding.

No.	Action	Who	Status	Due Date
1	ICD16 Parameter Definition Format. Clarification	RAN	NIRI information being sought.
2	Revise NIFS schedule to reflect FPA delivery lead time	JvH	Closed Plan updated
3	Generate ordered list of "As Built" NIRI drawings	JvH	Closed List provided
4	Negotiate delivery schedule for As Built NIRI drawings with IfA	RAN
5	Determine status of NIRI manuals	RAN
6	Determine specifications and manufacturer of NIRI CaF2 window	RAN	Closed Information provided
7	Make tar archive of operational NIRI software	RAN	Closed
8	Determine status of IfA OIWFS fabrication	RAN
9	Send 7 cryo stepper motors to ANU	RAN
10	A flip-in acquisition mirror will be incorporated into the design	JvH	Closed. Documentation to be changed as required
11	Send examples of Commisioning and Verification Plans	RAN
12	Relay urgency of NIFS contract approval	RAN
13	Check impact of late OIWSF parts delivery by UH on NIFS schedule	JvH	Closed. Early May 2001 is latest delivery possible on the currently proposed plan.