Preliminary daytime seeing monitoring at Dome A, Antarctica

• Published in: Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union
• Main Authors: Pei, Chong, Li, Zhengyangg, Chen, Hualin, Yuan, Xiangyan
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge University Press (CUP) 2012
• Subjects: Astronomy and Astrophysics; Space and Planetary Science; Antarctic; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1743921312017012; https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1743921312017012

Abstract Sites on Antarctic plateau have unique atmospheric properties that make them better than any mid-latitude sites as observatory locations. From site testing measurements over 4 years on Dome A carried out by the Chinese Center for Antarctic Astronomy, we can reasonably predict that Dome A is as good as or even better than Dome C, which has been proved to be the best astronomical site by now, and suitable for high angular resolution observations. Seeing monitoring is necessary for planning large scale ground-based optical astronomical telescopes. In 2012, the 28th Chinese Antarctic Scientific Expedition carried out preliminary daytime seeing monitoring using a Differential Image Motion Monitor (DIMM) placed at a height of 3.5m. The median seeing was found to be 0.8″. This will be the foundation of future research that obtains comprehensive and long-period monitoring of the site's optical parameters.