Antarctic observations at long wavelengths with the IRAIT-ITM Telescope at Dome C

Gilles A. Durand; Pascal Tremblin; Vincent Minier; Yann Reinert; Christophe Leroy dos Santos; Louis Rodriguez; Xavier Joffrin; Maurizio Busso; Gino Tosti; Giuliano Nucciarelli; Mauro Dolci; Oscar Straniero; Angelo Valentini; Carlos Abia; Jean Marc Christille; Eric Doumayrou; Michel Lortholary; Patrice Charron; Paul Lotrus; Christian Walter; Samuel Ronayette; Zalpha Challita; Laurent Fromont; Mathieu Condamin; Min Kyong Kwon; Daniele Tavagnacco

doi:10.1117/12.2056562

22 July 2014 Antarctic observations at long wavelengths with the IRAIT-ITM Telescope at Dome C

Gilles A. Durand, Pascal Tremblin, Vincent Minier, Yann Reinert, Christophe Leroy dos Santos, Louis Rodriguez, Xavier Joffrin, Maurizio Busso, Gino Tosti, Giuliano Nucciarelli, Mauro Dolci, Oscar Straniero, Angelo Valentini, Carlos Abia, Jean Marc Christille, Eric Doumayrou, Michel Lortholary, Patrice Charron, Paul Lotrus, Christian Walter, Samuel Ronayette, Zalpha Challita, Laurent Fromont, Mathieu Condamin, Min Kyong Kwon, Daniele Tavagnacco

Author Affiliations +

Proceedings Volume 9145, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes V; 91450D (2014) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2056562
Event: SPIE Astronomical Telescopes + Instrumentation, 2014, Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Abstract

We illustrate the status of the international infra-red telescope IRAIT-ITM, a project developed thanks to an Italian- Spanish-French collaboration and now sited at the Dome C Antarctic base. The telescope and its subsystems were installed at DomeC by a team of Italian and French scientists. The 80 cm telescope is placed on a small snow hill next to a laboratory of astronomy. The operations started in January 2013, with the Nasmyth focal planes equipped with the midinfrared camera AMICA for 1.25 to 25 μm and the sub-millimetre camera CAMISTIC for observation of the sky noise at 200 and 350 μm using a bolometer camera. During 2013 the two winter-overs worked mainly on technological duties, learning how to operate the telescope, while temperatures decreased down to -80°C. The cryogenic systems could be operated respectively at 0.25K and 4K at all times, with satisfactory use of the heat from the compressors of the cryocoolers to the warm-up the laboratory through a closed loop glycol system. The lack of tests and reliability in extreme conditions of some components and difficult access to maintenance hampered regular observations below -50°C. Using the lessons of this first winter, the summer team improves the robustness of the failing systems and ease the access to maintenance. The winter 2014 is the first one with programmed observations. Because of power restrictions, the two instruments are used each one at a time by periods of 2 weeks. The Camistic camera continues to observe the stability of the sky at a fixed altitude in chopping mode and performs skydips. The TCS is being upgraded in order to prepare the next summer season with extensive observations of the sun with Camistic.

Citation Download Citation

Gilles A. Durand, Pascal Tremblin, Vincent Minier, Yann Reinert, Christophe Leroy dos Santos, Louis Rodriguez, Xavier Joffrin, Maurizio Busso, Gino Tosti, Giuliano Nucciarelli, Mauro Dolci, Oscar Straniero, Angelo Valentini, Carlos Abia, Jean Marc Christille, Eric Doumayrou, Michel Lortholary, Patrice Charron, Paul Lotrus, Christian Walter, Samuel Ronayette, Zalpha Challita, Laurent Fromont, Mathieu Condamin, Min Kyong Kwon, and Daniele Tavagnacco "Antarctic observations at long wavelengths with the IRAIT-ITM Telescope at Dome C", Proc. SPIE 9145, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes V, 91450D (22 July 2014); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2056562

ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE

INSTITUTIONAL
Select your institution to access the SPIE Digital Library.

SELECT YOUR INSTITUTION

PERSONAL
Sign in with your SPIE account to access your personal subscriptions or to use specific features such as save to my library, sign up for alerts, save searches, etc.

PERSONAL SIGN IN

No SPIE Account? Create one

PURCHASE THIS CONTENT

SUBSCRIBE TO DIGITAL LIBRARY

50 downloads per 1-year subscription

Members: $195

Non-members: $335 ADD TO CART

25 downloads per 1 - year subscription

Members: $145

Non-members: $250 ADD TO CART

PURCHASE SINGLE ARTICLE

Includes PDF, HTML & Video, when available

Members: $17.00

Non-members: $21.00 ADD TO CART

PROCEEDINGS
11 PAGES

DOWNLOAD PAPER SAVE TO MY LIBRARY

GET CITATION

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Get copyright permission Get copyright permission on Copyright Marketplace

KEYWORDS

Telescopes

Cameras

Bolometers

Sun

Astronomy

Mirrors

Astronomical telescopes

Show All Keywords

Keywords/Phrases

Search In:

Publication Years