Site characterisation at Mount Stromlo: results with a single-detector stereo-SCIDAR

Abstract

We present the status of the site-characterisation campaign at Mount Stromlo Observatory. The main goal of the project is to aid the development and operation of new adaptive optics (AO) systems for space debris tracking and pushing as well as satellite imaging. The main method we use for the characterisation is based on the SCIntillation Detection And Ranging (SCIDAR) technique. We have designed a unique version of the SCIDAR instrument: a stereo-SCIDAR system that uses a roof prism to separate beams from a double-star system to obtain two isolated pupil images on a single detector. The instrument is installed on the 1.8 m telescope of Electro-Optic Systems (EOS), sharing facilities with the adaptive optics systems we are currently building. The SCIDAR instrument will be operated intermittently, weather and availability permitting, until sufficient amount of data has been collected to characterise the site. This paper reports the current status of the project: we have recently started the commissioning phase and obtained first measurements with the instrument. Show more