The Science Case for a 2 m-class Telescope at Dome C, Antarctica

Abstract


Dome C, being one of the summits of the Antarctic plateau, is anexceptional site for astronomy. Its advantages over atemperate-latitude site for a wide range of observations areconsiderable, as well as becoming increasingly appreciated by thescientific community. We discuss what these advantages are, and someof the science possibilities they offer. They fall under fourprincipal regimes: (i) diffraction-limited observations (i.e.λ > 3 µm), (ii) wide-field thermal infrared observations(i.e. λ > 2.2 µm), (iii) when observations areseeing-limited (i.e. from 0.4–3 μm) and (iv) new windows(i.e. in the mid–IR and sub–mm). Each regime offers particularadvantages over corresponding observations made from a temperate site.When more than one of these advantages applies the gains can bepotent.
The science possibilities are many, ranging from solar system science,such as monitoring the global climate of Mars and Venus, to the studyof the distant universe, such as ultra-deep fields to probe theassembly process of galaxies and the search for the “first light”through thermal–IR emission from gamma ray bursters. In this paperwe discuss a range of science opportunities offered by each of theseregimes, making use of a 2 m-class telescope. Such a facility wouldserve as an essential next step in the development of Antarcticastronomy, and the far-reaching possibilities offered by largertelescopes and interferometers on the Antarctic plateau.