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This
summer astronomers from the University of New South Wales
are commissioning a suite of instruments for their AASTO observatory
at the South Pole. The
AASTO, or Automated Astrophysical Site Testing Observatory,
is a self-powered laboratory capable of running a series of
experiments autonomously through the long Antarctic winter.
It will make measurements which will enable us to quantify
exactly how good Antarctica will be for a future observatory.
Leading
the expedition is Professor John Storey, making his sixth
visit to the South Pole.
With him will be two experienced Antarctic campaigners,
Andre Phillips and Paolo Calisse, with first hand experience
of the Australian, British, Italian, New Zealand and US programs
between them. Three
students are accompanying them.
Rodney Marks, having recently completed his PhD Thesis
on the astronomical seeing in Antarctica, will be wintering
over for a second time.
First year graduate student Jill Rathborne and honours
student Jessica Dempsey will be venturing south for the first
time. They will become the first female Australian scientists to
work at the South Pole.
Finally, Jon Everett, professional officer within the
group, will also be making his first trip south.
Three scientists from the Australian National University
will be accompanying them.
The
team is deploying a suite of instruments which are capable
of measuring the atmospheric conditions that affect the conduct
of astronomy across the optical, infrared and sub-millimetre
parts of the spectrum.
It is the most ambitious set of instrumentation to
be taken south yet for the Antarctic astronomy program.
The instrumentation will operate autonomously over
the winter of 2001, gathering data on the site conditions.
It is then planned to re-deploy the instrumentation
to Dome C, one of the high points of the plateau in 2002.
You may browse the diaries in two ways:
| Diary entries for 1999/2000 |
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Astronomy on the Antarctic Plateau
 The unique combination of cold, dry and tenuous air makes the Antarctic Plateau the premier location on the Earth for the observation of light from distant stars and galaxies. The harsh Antarctic environment has till now prevented astronomers from utilising the great potential that the Plateau offers for the advancement of our knowledge of the Universe. Australian astronomers are leading international efforts aimed at constructing an observatory at the highest points of the plateau, in the Australian Antarctic Territory. Antarctica is not only the highest, driest and coldest of the continents, but on the plateau it is also the calmest place on Earth! The howling gales that are often associated with Antarctica are purely a coastal phenomenon! The Antarctic plateau is half way to space, and the performance of a telescope there would be second only to one in space. Constructing a large telescope in Antarctica, while undoubtedly a major engineering challenge, is however vastly cheaper than constructing it in space.
The AASTO
The
AASTO is a mobile laboratory, capable of being deployed anywhere
on the Antarctic plateau by ski-equipped Hercules aircraft. It is being used to assess the potential of Antarctica for
a future international astronomical observatory.
It is currently at the South Pole for integration with
a variety of experiments.
It runs autonomously over the Antarctic winter, while
providing its own power from low-pollution generators.
Once their operation has been verified, the AASTO will
be re-deployed to the highest parts of the plateau, Domes
A and C, lying in the Australian Antarctic Territory.
Here they will gather the data which will enable us
to compare the relative merits of these sites for astronomy
and, we hope, lead to the establishment of an international
observatory on the pre-eminent site on the Earth in the first
decade of the new millennium.
The
AASTO project is being run by JACARA, the Joint Australian
Centre for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica.
It is supported by the University of New South Wales,
the Australian National University and the Australian Research
Council, with seed money provided by the Australian Antarctic
Foundation. The total cost is $1 million.
The project is a collaboration with CARA, the US Center
for Astrophysical Research in Antarctica, who are funded by
the NSF (National Science Foundation).
Their logistic support, valued at approximately $1
million, is provided free to us as part of this collaboration.
Australia and the Antarctic Plateau
- Antarctica is nearly twice
the size of Australia.
Some 42% of the continent comprises the Australian
Antarctic Territory (AAT).
Australia's presence in Antarctica, however, is confined
to three coastal bases.
- The USA, Russia and France
/ Italy operate bases in the vast inland Antarctic plateau
of the AAT. Here
the unique climatic conditions enable new scientific programs
to be undertaken.
Among these is the establishment of the ultimate
Earth-based astronomical observatory.
- Australia is leading international
efforts to exploit the potential of the high Antarctic plateau
for astronomy. We
are pioneering a new method of doing science, by developing
an autonomous, mobile observatory which operates with minimal
environmental impact, called the 'AASTO'.
The AASTO is now at the South Pole.
It was opened by Senator Robert Hill, Minister for
the Environment, in January 1997.
- The Australian Antarctic astronomy
program has, over the past 6 years of effort at the South
Pole, demonstrated the viability of the Antarctic plateau
for astronomy and also shown that constructing and operating
an observatory in the harsh environment is achievable.
- It has also contributed to
national prestige, as a flagship project for both our national
Antarctic and astronomical programs.
- It has established Australia's
presence on the Antarctic plateau, where the bulk of the
Australian Antarctic Territory lies.
- It is funded from current budgets,
with principal support from the Australian Research Council,
and two major universities (UNSW and ANU).
- A US consortium has now proposed
the US$15 million AIRO, a 2-m size telescope for infrared
astronomy at the South Pole.
The objectives for this telescope are based firmly
upon exploiting the particular advantages of Antarctica
that our program has pioneered.
- The AIRO proposal is currently
before the US National Science Foundation. Australia is a member of the proposal, but only in name.
We are providing no financial contribution, merely
our expertise and credibility to the program, and have no
ownership or control.
- Australia's Antarctic astronomy
program is now at a cross-roads.
While its successes have paved the way for current
international developments, unless we can move to a new
level of commitment we will be unable to participate in
the opportunities now before us.
- Dome C, or even Dome A (sometimes
called Dome Circe and Argus, respectively), both in the
Australian Antarctic Territory, provide for the ultimate
astronomical observing site on the surface of the Earth
and will undoubtedly become a major focus for activity in
the next millennium.
- Australia has proposed the
Douglas Mawson Telescope, a 2-m size telescope for infrared
astronomy, to be constructed at Dome C.
- Australia is in a position
to play a leadership role in such development, both in the
setting of policy and objectives, and in the return through
scientific discovery and technology development.
-
However in order to assume this leadership role Australia
needs to find a way to fund such activity.
The costs for major new facilities need to come from
outside the traditional sources that support research activity.
- Ultimately the return to Australian
industry will be high.
Antarctica is an environment that provides a platform
to develop aerospace technologies for a fraction of the
cost of doing the same thing in space.
It is an investment in our future as an advanced
technological nation.
Team Members
Visiting South Pole in January
2000
| Name |
Position |
Dates
at Pole |
| Professor
John Storey |
Head,
School of Physics |
12/1-26/1 |
| Dr
Andre Phillips |
Research
Scientist |
06/1-29/1 |
| Mr
Paolo Calisse |
Research
Scientist |
22/1-12/2 |
| Mr
Jon Everett |
Research
Scientist |
04/2-12/2 |
| Mr
Rodney Marks |
Graduate
Student |
Wintering |
| Ms
Jill Rathborne |
Graduate
Student |
12/1-21/1 |
| Ms
Jessica Dempsey |
Honours
Student |
06/1-15/1 |
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