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Science Programs for a 2-m Class Telescope at Dome C, Antarctica: PILOT, the Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 March 2013

M. G. Burton ,
J. S. Lawrence ,
M. C. B. Ashley ,
J. A. Bailey ,
C. Blake ,
T. R. Bedding ,
J. Bland-Hawthorn ,
I. A. Bond ,
K. Glazebrook  and
M. G. Hidas
...Show all authors
M. G. Burton*
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
J. S. Lawrence
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
M. C. B. Ashley
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
J. A. Bailey
Affiliation:
Anglo Australian Observatory, Epping NSW 1710, Australia Centre for Astrobiology, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia
C. Blake
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
T. R. Bedding
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia
J. Bland-Hawthorn
Affiliation:
Anglo Australian Observatory, Epping NSW 1710, Australia
I. A. Bond
Affiliation:
Massey University, Auckland, New Zealand
K. Glazebrook
Affiliation:
John Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD 21218, USA
M. G. Hidas
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
G. Lewis
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia
S. N. Longmore
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
S. T. Maddison
Affiliation:
Swinburne University, Melbourne VIC 3122, Australia
S. Mattila
Affiliation:
Stockholm Observatory, Stockholm, Sweden
V. Minier
Affiliation:
CEA Centre d'Etudes de Saclay, Paris, France
S. D. Ryder
Affiliation:
Anglo Australian Observatory, Epping NSW 1710, Australia
R. Sharp
Affiliation:
Anglo Australian Observatory, Epping NSW 1710, Australia
C. H. Smith
Affiliation:
Electro Optics Systems, Queanbeyan NSW 2620, Australia
J. W. V. Storey
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
C. G. Tinney
Affiliation:
Anglo Australian Observatory, Epping NSW 1710, Australia
P. Tuthill
Affiliation:
University of Sydney, Sydney NSW 2006, Australia
A. J. Walsh
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
W. Walsh
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
M. Whiting
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
T. Wong
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia CSIRO Australia Telescope National Facility, Epping NSW 1710, Australia
D. Woods
Affiliation:
School of Physics, University of New South Wales, Sydney NSW 2052, Australia
P. C. M. Yock
Affiliation:
University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
*
MCorresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]
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Abstract

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The cold, dry, and stable air above the summits of the Antarctic plateau provides the best ground-based observing conditions from optical to sub-millimetre wavelengths to be found on the Earth. Pathfinder for an International Large Optical Telescope (PILOT) is a proposed 2 m telescope, to be built at Dome C in Antarctica, able to exploit these conditions for conducting astronomy at optical and infrared wavelengths. While PILOT is intended as a pathfinder towards the construction of future grand-design facilities, it will also be able to undertake a range of fundamental science investigations in its own right. This paper provides the performance specifications for PILOT, including its instrumentation. It then describes the kinds of projects that it could best conduct. These range from planetary science to the search for other solar systems, from star formation within the Galaxy to the star formation history of the Universe, and from gravitational lensing caused by exo-planets to that produced by the cosmic web of dark matter. PILOT would be particularly powerful for wide-field imaging at infrared wavelengths, achieving near diffraction-limited performance with simple tip–tilt wavefront correction. PILOT would also be capable of near diffraction-limited performance in the optical wavebands, as well be able to open new wavebands for regular ground-based observation, in the mid-IR from 17 to 40 μm and in the sub-millimetre at 200 μm.

Keywords

telescopessite testingatmospheric effectstechniques: high angular resolutionstars: formationcosmology: observations
Type
Research Article
Information
Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia , Volume 22 , Issue 3: Featuring Gravity Workshop 2004 , 2005 , pp. 199 - 235
Copyright
Copyright © Astronomical Society of Australia 2005

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