Compact Configuration Evaluation for CARMA
M. C. H. Wright
Radio Astronomy laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA, 94720

In this memo, we compare the imaging performance of three compact
configurations for the CARMA telescope. We discuss ring and spiral
configurations. MIRIAD scripts simulate imaging with heterogeneous
arrays, and pipeline the results into tables.  We present tables of
beam FWHM, brightness sensitivity and sidelobe levels for source
declinations from +60 to --40 degrees.  Mosaic images for source
diameters $32''$, and $40''$ are analyzed.  The residual imaging
errors are characterized by the recovered flux, peak flux density and
the sidelobe levels.  We present tables of the sidelobe levels and
image fidelity.  The most compact configurations provide the best
brightness sensitivity, but suffer from antenna shadowing. Spiral
configurations are more versatile and give better imaging fidelity
for the source models considered.