The thermal environment of the fiber glass dome for the new solar telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory

A. P. Verdoni; C. Denker; J. R. Varsik; S. Shumko; J. Nenow; R. Coulter

doi:10.1117/12.734948

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20 September 2007 The thermal environment of the fiber glass dome for the new solar telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory

A. P. Verdoni, C. Denker, J. R. Varsik, S. Shumko, J. Nenow, R. Coulter

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Proceedings Volume 6689, Solar Physics and Space Weather Instrumentation II; 66890Y (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734948
Event: Optical Engineering + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The New Solar Telescope (NST) is a 1.6-meter off-axis Gregory-type telescope with an equatorial mount and an open optical support structure. To mitigate the temperature fluctuations along the exposed optical path, the effects of local/dome-related seeing have to be minimized. To accomplish this, NST will be housed in a 5/8-sphere fiberglass dome that is outfitted with 14 active vents evenly spaced around its perimeter. The 14 vents house louvers that open and close independently of one another to regulate and direct the passage of air through the dome. In January 2006, 16 thermal probes were installed throughout the dome and the temperature distribution was measured. The measurements confirmed the existence of a strong thermal gradient on the order of 5° Celsius inside the dome. In December 2006, a second set of temperature measurements were made using different louver configurations. In this study, we present the results of these measurements along with their integration into the thermal control system (ThCS) and the overall telescope control system (TCS).

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A. P. Verdoni, C. Denker, J. R. Varsik, S. Shumko, J. Nenow, and R. Coulter "The thermal environment of the fiber glass dome for the new solar telescope at Big Bear Solar Observatory", Proc. SPIE 6689, Solar Physics and Space Weather Instrumentation II, 66890Y (20 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734948

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