Publication
Atmospheric scintillation at Dome C, Antarctica: implications for photometry and astrometry
Kenyon, S. et al., 2006, IAU Special Session, 7, 30 | View on ADS (2006IAUSS...7E..30K)
Abstract
Night-time turbulence profiles of the atmosphere above Dome C, Antarctica, were measured during 2004, using a MASS instrument. We compare this data with turbulence profiles above Cerro Tololo and Cerro Pachon, also measured with a MASS, and find, with the exception of the owest layer, that Dome C has significantly less turbulence. In addition, the integrated at turbulence 16 km above Dome C is always less than the median values at the two Chilean sites. Using average wind speed profiles, we assess the photometric noise produced by scintillation, and the atmospheric contribution to the error budget in narrow angle differential astrometry. In comparison with the two mid-latitude sites in Chile, Dome C offers a potential gain of about 3.6 in both photometric precision (for long integrations) and narrow-angle astrometry precision. Although the data from Dome C cover a fairly limited time frame, they lend strong support to expectations that Dome C will offer significant advantages for photometric and astrometric studies.
Tags
This publication has been tagged as:
Characteristics/Seeing & integrated turbulence
Hemisphere/Antarctic
Site/Dome C (Concordia Station)
Type/In-situ or ground-based observations