Where is Ridge A?
First identified in 2009 as the site with the lowest precipitable water and best terahertz transmission on Earth, Ridge A is located approximately 150 km south of Dome A, Antarctica. To further refine this optimum location prior to deployment in 2012 of a robotic THz observatory, we have modelled th...
Published in: | SPIE Proceedings, Ground-based and Airborne Telescopes IV |
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Main Authors: | , , , , , |
Other Authors: | , , |
Format: | Article in Journal/Newspaper |
Language: | English |
Published: |
SPIE
2012
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Subjects: | |
Online Access: | https://researchers.mq.edu.au/en/publications/cdfe1a8e-e4e5-458f-b4d6-2594292e12af https://doi.org/10.1117/12.925512 https://research-management.mq.edu.au/ws/files/62228497/Publisher%20version%20(open%20access).pdf http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84871757242&partnerID=8YFLogxK |
Summary: | First identified in 2009 as the site with the lowest precipitable water and best terahertz transmission on Earth, Ridge A is located approximately 150 km south of Dome A, Antarctica. To further refine this optimum location prior to deployment in 2012 of a robotic THz observatory, we have modelled the atmospheric transmission as a function of location over a 1,000,000 km square grid using three years of data from the Microwave Humidity Sounder on the NOAA-18 satellite. The modelling identifies a broad area of exceptionally low water vapour close to the 4,000 metre elevation contour, reaching below 100 microns for extended periods of time. |
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