Observations of ground-layer turbulence

Abstract

We have developed an improvement of the well-known SLODAR (Slope Detection and Ranging) technique which allows us to monitor the ground layer throughout the night with resolution of a few tens of meters. We will present data we have obtained during two one-week observing sessions at the Las Campanas Observatory, Chile. The first observing session we have often observed a persistent, low ground layer which dominates the seeing. The second observing session the free-atmosphere dominated the seeing. We will present the instrument design; real-time software; describe the observing sessions, the data and results.