Conversation

Notices

1. GeniusMusing (geniusmusing)'s status on Tuesday, 01-Dec-2020 14:42:16 UTC GeniusMusing

   Remote profile options...
   Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico Collapses Weeks After Suffering Major Damage The Weather Channel Articles from The Weather Channel | weather.com
   https://weather.com/news/news/2020-12-01-arecibo-observatory-radio-telescope-collapses
   
   >The renowned Arecibo Observatory radio telescope in Puerto Rico, closed because of damage, completely collapsed Tuesday morning.
   >
   >"Friends, it is with deep regret to inform you that the Arecibo Observatory platform has just collapsed," tweeted Deborah Martorell, a senior meteorologist for WAPA-TV and El Nuevo Dia in San Juan, Puerto Rico.
   >
   >Martorell, who was at the observatory on Monday, received a call from a scientist at the site Tuesday saying the giant reflector dish and the Gregorian Dome that held instruments above it had both collapsed, El Nuevo Dia reported.
   >...
   • LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864} repeated this.
   • LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864} (lnxw48a1)'s status on Tuesday, 01-Dec-2020 17:03:30 UTC LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864}

     Remote profile options...

     • mangeurdenuage
     @mangeurdenuage @geniusmusing I know they'd done quite a bit of work in the last few years. It was damaged in the big hurricane that hit the island.
     
     Having visited the radio telescope there, I don't know how they could regularly check the support cables and replace those that are damaged. It's a remote, mountainous area.
     
     Maybe they could have lowered the dome, but its weight would have destroyed the dish.
   • LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864} (lnxw48a1)'s status on Tuesday, 01-Dec-2020 18:48:14 UTC LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864}

     Remote profile options...

     in reply to
     Now that it has completely collapsed, they really could remove the debris and rebuild it ... and this time, with more of a nod toward maintainability.
     
     I know NSF already gave up on it, but they could change their minds.
   • LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864} (lnxw48a1)'s status on Tuesday, 01-Dec-2020 18:51:04 UTC LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864}

     Remote profile options...

     in reply to

     • LinuxWalt (@lnxw48a1) {3EB165E0-5BB1-45D2-9E7D-93B31821F864}
     One other thing to point out ... when I was in #PR, it was apparent that they'd been in a recession for a long time, because everywhere around me were signs of buildings and infrastructure not having been maintained.
     
     The radio-telescope's maintenance should have come from the money sent by NSF to the organization operating the telescope on their behalf, but it could be possible that some of the funding was supposed to be raised locally.