Self-adjusting data acquisition system for Low Layer SCIDAR

  1. J. L. Avilés1,2,*,
  2. R. Avila3,4,
  3. T. Butterley5,
  4. R. Wilson5,
  5. M. Chun6,
  6. E. Carrasco1,
  7. A. Farah2,
  8. S. Cuevas2

Article first published online: 26 APR 2012

DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20926.x

Issue

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Volume 423, Issue 1, pages 900–908, June 2012

Additional Information

How to Cite

Avilés, J. L., Avila, R., Butterley, T., Wilson, R., Chun, M., Carrasco, E., Farah, A. and Cuevas, S. (2012), Self-adjusting data acquisition system for Low Layer SCIDAR. Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 423: 900–908. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.20926.x

Author Information

  1. 1

    Instituto Nacional de Astrofísica, Óptica y Electrónica, Luis Enrique Erro 1, Tonantzintla, Puebla 72840, Mexico

  2. 2

    Instituto de Astronomía, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 70–264, Cd. Universitaria 04510, México D.F., Mexico

  3. 3

    Centro de Radioastronomía y Astrofísica, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Apartado Postal 3-72, Morelia Michoacán, C.P. 58089, Mexico

  4. 4

    Centro de Física Aplicada y Tecnología Avanzada, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, A.P. 1-1010, Santiago de Querétaro, Qro. 76000, Mexico

  5. 5

    Department of Physics, Durham University, South Road, Durham DH1 3LE

  6. 6

    Institute for Astronomy, University of Hawaii, 640 North A’ohoku Place, 209 Hilo, Hawaii 96720-2700, USA

* E-mail: aviles@inaoep.mx

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 30 MAY 2012
  2. Article first published online: 26 APR 2012
  3. Accepted 2012 March 14. Received 2012 March 13; in original form 2012 January 17

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Keywords:

  • turbulence;
  • atmospheric effects;
  • instrumentation: adaptive optics;
  • instrumentation: high angular resolution;
  • site testing

ABSTRACT

We present a real-time, fully automated method to remove instrumental signatures from stellar scintillation images. The method was developed in connection with the Low Layer SCIDAR (Scintillation Detection and Ranging) (LOLAS), an instrument dedicated to the measurement of atmospheric optical-turbulence profiles, inline image, in the first kilometre of altitude, with high altitude-resolution. By examining the scintillation images and their correlation maps we evaluate, and then correct, image deficiencies typical of a portable telescope, such as defocus, image movement, field rotation and tracking errors, prior to processing according to the SCIDAR technique. In addition, detector spreading noise is corrected for, and flux variations caused by clouds or fog are monitored. The efficiency of the methods is demonstrated by comparing double-star scintillation autocorrelations obtained with and without the use of the self-adjusting procedures. Applying those stabilization methods, LOLAS was successfully exploited to characterize the inline image vertical profiles along the lower layer on top of Mauna Kea Observatory.

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