Related papers: Statistics of Turbulence Parameters at Maunakea us…
Site measurements were collected at Mount John University Observatory in 2005 and 2007 using a purpose-built scintillation detection and ranging system. $C_n^2(h)$ profiling indicates a weak layer located at 12 - 14 km above sea level and…
Measurements of the optical turbulence profile above Siding Spring Observatory were conducted during 2005 and 2006. This effort was largely motivated by the need to predict the statistical performance of adaptive optics at Siding Spring.…
A characterization of the optical turbulence vertical distribution and all the main integrated astroclimatic parameters derived from the CN2 and the wind speed profiles above Mt. Graham is presented. The statistic includes measurements…
COupled SLope and scIntillation Detection And Ranging (CO-SLIDAR) is a recent profiling method of the vertical distribution of atmospheric turbulence strength ($C_n^2$ profile). It takes advantage of correlations of slopes and of…
We report the development and first results of an instrument called Low Layer Scidar (LOLAS) which is aimed at the measurement of optical-turbulence profiles in the atmospheric boundary layer with high altitude-resolution. The method is…
We discuss several improvements in the detection of atmospheric turbulence using SLOpe Detection And Ranging (SLODAR). Frequently, SLODAR observations have shown strong ground-layer turbulence, which is beneficial to adaptive optics. We…
The estimation of atmospheric turbulence parameters is of relevance for: a) site evaluation & characterisation; b) prediction of the point spread function; c) live assessment of error budgets and optimisation of adaptive optics performance;…
Dome seeing is a known source of image quality degradation, but despite tremendous progress in wavefront control with the development of adaptive optics and environmental control through implementation of dome venting, surprisingly little…
Adaptive optics (AO) is a technology in modern ground-based optical telescopes to compensate the wavefront distortions caused by atmospheric turbulence. One method that allows to retrieve information about the atmosphere from telescope data…
We describe the implementation of a robotic SLODAR instrument at the Cerro Paranal observatory. The instrument measures the vertical profile of the optical atmospheric turbulence strength, in 8 resolution elements, to a maximum altitude…
Maunakea is one of the world's primary sites for astronomical observing, with multiple telescopes operating over sub-millimeter to optical wavelengths. With its summit higher than 4200 meters above sea level, Maunakea is an ideal location…
Here we propose an optical method that use phase data of a laser beam obtained from Shack-Hartmann sensor to estimate both inner and outer scales of turbulence. The method is based on the sequential analysis of normalized correlation…
CO-SLIDAR is a very promising technique for the metrology of near ground $C_n^2$ profiles. It exploits both phase and scintillation measurements obtained with a dedicated wavefront sensor and allows profiling on the full line of sight…
A characterization of the optical turbulence vertical distribution (Cn2 profiles) and all the main integrated astroclimatic parameters derived from the Cn2 and the wind speed profiles above the site of the Large Binocular Telescope (Mt.…
This paper describes the data preprocessing and reduction methods together with SLODAR analysis and wind profiling techniques for GeMS: the Gemini MCAO System. The wavefront gradient measurements of the five GeMS's Shack-Hartmann sensors,…
We present results from the first year of a campaign to characterize and monitor the optical turbulence profile at the SAAO Sutherland observing station in South Africa. A MASS-DIMM (MultiAperture Scintillation Sensor - Differential Image…
The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) is developing a Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (MCAO) system for the Kodaikanal Tower Telescope (KTT). In this context, we have measured the daytime turbulence strength profile at the Kodaikanal…
Atmospherical mesoscale models can offer unique potentialities to characterize and discriminate potential astronomical sites. Our team has recently completely validated the Meso-Nh model above Dome C (Lascaux et al. 2009, 2010). Using all…
Monitoring turbulence parameters is crucial in high-angular resolution astronomy for various purposes, such as optimising adaptive optics systems or fringe trackers. The former are present at most modern observatories and will remain…
As telescopes become larger, into the era of ~40 m Extremely Large Telescopes, the high- resolution vertical profile of the optical turbulence strength is critical for the validation, optimization and operation of optical systems. The…