From: Steven Tingay 
Subject: SKA Simulation Working Group - Aims and Strategies

Dear SSWG members,

First, thanks to all of you for showing an interest in the
SKA Simulation Working Group and sending positive responses
to Richard's email of a few weeks ago.  Already we have had
over 20 people sign up to participate in the SSWG, covering
a wide range of interests and gathering together a great
deal of experience.  I think this is very encouraging for the
SSWG and the contribution it hopes to make to the international
SKA project over the next few years.

I've been compiling your responses and together with Richard
have been putting together a draft document describing the
SSWG's aims and strategies.  I've attached a postscript
version of this document to this email, for your consideration
and comments.

The document basically outlines the role that the SSWG could
assume as part of the international SKA project and suggests
some ways in which the SSWG could be structured to efficiently
play this role.  Currently the document should be regarded as
a discussion paper.

I would like to get your reactions to the ideas in this paper
and any comments on the contents.  Following discussion within
the SSWG, the document will go to the ISSC for consideration.

Our discussion of this draft paper will set the scene for our
first meeting as part of the Geraldton workshop at the end of
July, where we can work through the details of the main issues
and agree on the best way forward.  I am therefore particularly
interested in hearing your views on:

* The aims of the SSWG;
* The way in which you would prefer the SSWG work to be broken
  up - one of the three alternatives listed in the document, or
  some other way;
* The deliverables listed in the document;
* The details of computational facilities that you have at your
  disposal for running SKA simulations - to compile a world-wide
  inventory of the SSWG computational capabilities.

Also, if you would like to send me an updated or expanded
description of your SKA simulation interests, I'd be happy to
add it to the section on institutional interests.

Best Regards,

Steven Tingay