Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-dsjbd Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-27T00:45:03.787Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Adaptive Optics and Interferometry on the Antarctic Plateau

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 March 2016

James P. Lloyd*
Affiliation:
California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

The unique properties of atmospheric turbulence in atmosphere above the Antarctic plateau offer some compelling advantages for astronomical adaptive optics and interferometry. The shallow nature of the turbulent layer at the South Pole results in low scintillation and large angular coherence (Marks et al. 1996, 1999; Lloyd, Oppenheimer, & Graham 2002; Lloyd et al. 2003). Recent wintertime SODAR measurements at Dome C indicate that similar conditions exist at Dome C, but that the turbulent layer is likely both weaker and shallower. This paper discusses the outcomes of such conditions on the atmospheric properties for astronomy. Particularly due to the low wind speed at Dome C, the atmospheric properties are highly favorable for adaptive optics and interferometry. The resulting long coherence time enables adaptive optics at visible wavelengths, and the large angular coherence results in a useful field of view as a result.

Type
II. Special Scientific Sessions
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Pacific 2005

References

Gillingham, P. 1993, in Optics in Astronomy: 32nd Herstmonceux Conference, 244+ Hardy, J. W., ed. 1998, Adaptive optics for astronomical telescopes (Oxford University Press)Google Scholar
Lloyd, J. P., Lane, B. F., Swain, M. R., Storey, J. W. V., Travouillon, T., Traub, W. A., & Walker, C. K. 2003, in Techniques and Instrumentation for Detection of Exoplanets, proc. SPIE 5170, 193 Google Scholar
Lloyd, J. P., Oppenheimer, B. R., & Graham, J. R. 2002, Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia, 19, 318 Google Scholar
Marks, R. D. 2002, A&A, 385, 328 Google Scholar
Marks, R. D., Vernin, J., Azouit, M., Briggs, J. W., Burton, M. G., Ashley, M. C. B., & Manigault, J. F. 1996, A&AS, 118, 385 Google Scholar
Marks, R. D., Vernin, J., Azouit, M., Manigault, J. F., & Clevelin, C. 1999, A&AS, 134, 161 Google Scholar
Travouillon, T. 2003, priv. coram.Google Scholar
Travouillon, T., Ashley, M. C. B., Burton, M. G., Calisse, P. G., Everett, J. R., Lawrence, J. S., & Storey, J. W. V. 2002, in SF2A-2002: Semaine de l’Astrophysique Française, 19−+Google Scholar
Travouillon, T., Ashley, M. C. B., Burton, M. G., Storey, J. W. V., & Loewenstein, R. F. 2003, A&A, 400, 1163 Google Scholar