What about Astronomy at Dome A?

What about Astronomy at Dome A?
A compilation of some information by Er*c Fossat
Dome A
Dome A
4100 altitude
highest
driest
coldest
calmest
How much better is Dome A
than South Pole, Dome C???
PLATO
The annual vector mean
winds from Polar MM5
Wind
speed
(m/s)
Courtesy A. Monaghan,
Byrd Polar Research
Centre
Fig. 1. Dome A surface topographic map based on GPS data from
the 21st CHINARE. Heights are relative to the WGS84 ellipsoid.
Contour interval is 0.40 m. The black triangle indicates the position
of the summit of Dome A.
CNRS- Université Pierre et Marie Curie- Université Versailles/Saint-Quentin
CEA-CNES-Ecole Polytechnique-Ecole Normale Supérieure-IRD
CETP – LSCE – LOCEAN – LMD – SA
Jean Jouzel
International workshop on Dome Argus
Expedition during IPY
May 27-30, 2007, Shanghai
Ice core science
Institut Pierre Simon Laplace
Laboratoire des Sciences du Climat et de l’Environnement (CEA/CNRS/UVSQ Saclay)
A French view of the 2008/09 drilling
season at Dome A, Antarctica
Jean Jouzel
Director of Institut Pierre-Simon Laplace, Paris, France
On behalf of Jérôme Chappellaz, LGGE, responsible of the project on the french side
„
Outline :
… International
context
… Intermediate drilling
… Firn physical properties
Site testing
Atmospheric parameters for astronomy
„
Turbulence (MASS, SNODAR, DASLE, lunar SHABAR)
… Boundary layer height, distribution and variability
… Upper atmospheric distribution
„
Sky emission (Gattini SBC, Nigel)
… Auroral spectral intensity and distribution, (visible and infrared) sky
background versus sun/moon elevation
„
Sky transmission (Pre-HEAT)
… Transparency and noise in long wave (sub-millimetre) windows
„
Cloud (Gattini ASC)
… Cloud cover statistics and distribution
Science (CSTAR)
… Optical transients: variable stars, transits, micro-lensing, GRB, etc
„
Collaborators
University of New South Wales, Australia
Polar Research Institute of China
Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology, China
National Astronomical Observatories, Beijing, China
Purple Mountain Observatory, China
California Institute of Technology, USA
Cerro-Tololo Inter-American Observatories, Chile
Texas A and M, USA
University of Arizona, USA
University of Chicago, USA
Space Sciences Laboratory, USA
PLATO instruments
spare
Gattini all-sky
webcams
Nigel
SHABAR
Gattini SBC
Pre-HEAT
MASS
Electronics
computer
racks
Battery
bank
DASLE
SNODAR
PLATO power
Thermal
ducting
Helmholtz
resonator
Standard shipping
container
PLATO Engine module
„ 10 foot shipping
container
„ 6 x diesel engines
(Hatz air-cooled 4stroke single-cylinder
0.35 lt)
„ Jet A1 aviation fuel
~4000 litres
„ Average power ~1 kW
„ Low pressure testing
at UNSW
„ Solar panels for fuel
reduction
Ultra-capacitors
Exhaust
outlet
Hatz
engines
Vibration
isolation
frame
Engine
microcontroller
Fuel tank
Early results from PLATO have confirmed expectations
(Yang et al. 2008). Pre-HEAT has demonstrated that
the precipitable water vapour is significantly lower than
observed at South Pole or Dome C during the same
period of year. Webcam images show qualitatively that
the fraction of cloud free conditions is lower, and the
rate of occurrence of aurora is much higher, than
typically observed at Dome C.
Dome A roadmap for astronomy
2008
1
PLATO
Site testing
CSTAR
HEAT
CSTAR2
XIAN prototype
4 m telescope
XIAN array
?????
2
3
2009
4
1
2
3
2010
4
1
2
3
2011
4
1
2
3
4
logistics
For 2007/8 traverse:
Polar Research Institute of China
Total weight <6000 kg (via traverse)
20 x 200 litre drums of Jet A1 (via traverse)
Sled for PLATO
2 astronomers on expedition
NSF/AAD:
air support Aus/NZ to/from Dome A
2 people, 1 week stay at Dome A
CSTAR on Dome A
-The progress of CSTAR
-(Chinese Small Telescope Array)
Xiangyan Yuan(袁祥岩）, Xu Zhou(周旭)
Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology/NAOC
(南京天文光学技术研究所)
National Astronomical Observatories
(国家天文台NAOC)
Purple Mountain Observatory
(紫金山天文台PMO)
PRIC, SHANGHAI 2007
4x14.5cm telescopes
4 telescopes with diameter 14.5cm, 1Kx1K
CCD each, 4.5x4.5 square degrees view,
all point to the south pole (near the zenith ).
„ With g, r, i and none filters, without any
mechanical moveable instrument.
„ Constant observation for more than 4
months, take pictures every 10 ~20s.
„
Time table of CSTAR
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
„
2006.12 optical design finished
2007.4 the test telescope with normal steel tube
finished, mounted with CCD and first observation at
Xinglong Station
Early June,2007 the invar telescopes will be finished
End June,2007 alignment of the whole system
2007.7 whole system test
2007.8 Package ,Transport CSTAR to Sydney
2007.9-10 Plato general testing, package and setup
training
Oct 22, 2007 Depart from Sydney to Perth
Nov 10, 2007 Lade “Xuelong” Ship with PLATO
….
Astronomy at Dome Argus
冰穹阿古斯天文
Lifan Wang （王力帆）
2007/05/28
Dome C
Lawrence et al. 2004,
Nature, 431, 278
Dome A
Agabi 118, 840, 344
Swain & Gallee 2006, PASP, 118, 1
0.5 Meter Pilot (2008-2010)
3 small wide field telescopes working
together
Supernovae discovery
Short time scale variables
(gamma-ray bursts, micro-lensing, …)
The first wide field polarization map of the sky
The prototype of a larger telescopes
XIAN
Argus was a hero with more
than the usual number of
eyes. This excess ocular
equipment made Argus an
excellent watchman.
400, 50cm telescope array -Xian
Area for
Follow-up
Telescope(s)
4-meter Dark Universe Telescope
(2012-2015)
La frilosité n'est hélas pas que du coté astro à l'INSU. Je me rends compte de plus
en plus que l'INSU et le CNRS plus généralement nous relaient mal pour les
relations internationales dans le genre. Je crois que rapidement, il faudrait se
mettre autour de la table avec les Chinois de manière à développer des choses
complétementaires, et surtout assurer nos propres intérêts. Mais discuter au niveau
labo est une chose, discuter au niveau institutionnel en est une autre. Je ne sais pas
si Le Quéau est prêt à mouiller la chemise sur les relations franco-chinoises.
Faudrait tâter le terrain.
En tout cas, Dome A se fera et c'est dans notre intérêt d'articuler la science à
Concordia au mieux avec ce partenaire/compétiteur. Si chacun part dans son
coin en pensant être meilleur que l'autre, j'ai bien peur que les Chinois
gagneront sur le moyen et long terme... La croissance mondiale est chez eux,
et ils savent la réinvestir très rapidement en science et technologie !
(Jérome Chappelaz, LGGE, Grenoble)