The PLATO Antarctic site testing observatory

J. S. Lawrence; G. R. Allen; M. C. B. Ashley; C. Bonner; S. Bradley; X. Cui; J. R. Everett; L. Feng; X. Gong; S. Hengst; J. Hu; Z. Jiang; C. A. Kulesa; Y. Li; D. Luong-Van; A. M. Moore; C. Pennypacker; W. Qin; R. Riddle; Z. Shang; J. W. V. Storey; B. Sun; N. Suntzeff; N. F. H. Tothill; T. Travouillon; C. K. Walker; L. Wang; J. Yan; J. Yang; H. Yang; D. York; X. Yuan; X. G. Zhang; Z. Zhang; X. Zhou; Z. Zhu

doi:10.1117/12.787166

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10 July 2008 The PLATO Antarctic site testing observatory

J. S. Lawrence; G. R. Allen; M. C. B. Ashley; C. Bonner; S. Bradley; X. Cui; J. R. Everett; L. Feng; X. Gong; S. Hengst; J. Hu; Z. Jiang; C. A. Kulesa; Y. Li; D. Luong-Van; A. M. Moore; C. Pennypacker; W. Qin; R. Riddle; Z. Shang; J. W. V. Storey; B. Sun; N. Suntzeff; N. F. H. Tothill; T. Travouillon; C. K. Walker; L. Wang; J. Yan; J. Yang; H. Yang; D. York; X. Yuan; X. G. Zhang; Z. Zhang; X. Zhou; Z. Zhu

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Proceedings Volume 7012, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes II; 701227 (2008) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.787166
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2008, Marseille, France

Abstract

Over a decade of site testing in Antarctica has shown that both South Pole and Dome C are exceptional sites for astronomy, with certain atmospheric conditions superior to those at existing mid-latitude sites. However, the highest point on the Antarctic plateau, Dome A, is expected to experience colder atmospheric temperatures, lower wind speeds, and a turbulent boundary layer that is confined closer to the ground. The Polar Research Institute of China, who were the first to visit the Dome A site in January 2005, plan to establish a permanently manned station there within the next decade. As part of this process they conducted a second expedition to Dome A, arriving via overland traverse in January 2008. This traverse involved the delivery and installation of the PLATeau Observatory (PLATO). PLATO is an automated self-powered astrophysical site testing observatory, developed by the University of New South Wales. A number of international institutions have contributed site testing instruments measuring turbulence, optical sky background, and sub-millimetre transparency. In addition, a set of science instruments are providing wide-field high time resolution optical photometry and terahertz imaging of the Galaxy. We present here an overview of the PLATO system design and instrumentation suite.

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J. S. Lawrence, G. R. Allen, M. C. B. Ashley, C. Bonner, S. Bradley, X. Cui, J. R. Everett, L. Feng, X. Gong, S. Hengst, J. Hu, Z. Jiang, C. A. Kulesa, Y. Li, D. Luong-Van, A. M. Moore, C. Pennypacker, W. Qin, R. Riddle, Z. Shang, J. W. V. Storey, B. Sun, N. Suntzeff, N. F. H. Tothill, T. Travouillon, C. K. Walker, L. Wang, J. Yan, J. Yang, H. Yang, D. York, X. Yuan, X. G. Zhang, Z. Zhang, X. Zhou, and Z. Zhu "The PLATO Antarctic site testing observatory", Proc. SPIE 7012, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes II, 701227 (10 July 2008); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.787166

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