A place for astronomy on Dome A credit SHANG Zhaohui
A research team led by Professor Shang Jihuhu from the National Academy of Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of the National Academy of Sciences of China has confirmed that Dome A is the best place for optical astronomy in Antarctica. The study Nature.
Seeing is a reflection of the turbulent atmosphere in which stars are blinking or painted on telescopes. Poor disturbance in a visually impaired security center results in low visual value and clear images. This is especially true of weaknesses. At such a station, a small-open telescope can be compared to a large one with other stations.
Due to geographical and atmospheric disturbances in Doom A.
According to the researchers, they were able to see a good measure of 0.13 arc seconds and an average of 0.31 arcs per second measured by instruments on a tower at 8 meters high.
The maximum “0.31” in the data history shows a median free-atmosphere. Credit: MA Bin
Currently, the best telescopes are in the range of 0.6 to 0.8 arcs, with good stations in Hawaii and northern Chile. Dom A clearly has the potential to accommodate astronomical observations.
In addition, the average boundary layer thickness is about D14 A, which makes Dome N more practical and cost-effective compared to Dom C 30m in Antarctica.
Dome A is the highest point on the polar ice cap, with an altitude of 4,500 feet[4093 m]. It is the only station there, but it has not yet been built into a winterover station. So did the team have to design and build unexpected equipment to withstand temperatures as low as -80? And cooling problems.
Two careless KL-DIMMs and their 8m-high tower. Credit: SHANG Zhaohui
The research team developed the device KL-DIMM independently and participated in the 35th China National Antarctic Research Journey (CHINARE) in November 2018 at the Kunlun station. Two non-existent KL-DIMMs In January 2019, they started collecting data. They were fully automated throughout the winter and received valuable night vision information.
DOM A was first visited by humans in January 2005 during a 21-year flight stop at Zhanshansha Station via China. China is managed and operated by the China Arctic and Antarctic Administration (CAA) and the China Polar Research Institute and is a regular supporter of the Dome A astronomical program.
The combination of altitude, low temperature, long dark times, and uniquely stable view makes Dome N an attractive place for the eyes and infrared astronomy.
Read the best place on earth to see stars and astrologers Identify the best place on earth for research telescope.
Reference: “Dome A’s Dome A Nighttime Measures in Antarctica” by Bin Ma, Jahuhu Shang, Ai Hu, Kelyang Hu, Yongjiang Wang, Shu Young, Michael CB Ashley, Paul Hickon and Peng Jiang, July 29, 2020; Nature.
Doy: 10.1038 / s41586-020-2489-0