The Advanced Technology Solar Telescope
The ATST Project is funded by the National Science Foundation through the National Solar Observatory which is operated by the Association of Universities for Research in
Astronomy (AURA), Inc.
The Site & Buildings for ATST
• Where on Haleakalā would ATST be?
• How big would the facility be?
• What would it look like?
• Why does it look like that?
For Jeff Barr - Project ArchitectMarch 2006
Overall Site Plan
PrimaryMeesSite
Archaeologicalfeatures
Property lines
Air ForceFacilities
petrel burrowsAhu
ElectricSubstation
SecondaryReber CircleSite
Primary Proposed (Mees) Site
Mees
Alternate Site(Reber Circle)
Both described as potential ATST sites in HO Long Range Development Plan.
Big enough for ATST without major earth moving or civil work.
Local observing conditions proven good by site testing.
Current Views of Sites
ATST test tower
Dimensions of ATST Facility (section view)
Enclosure (dome)
LowerEnclosure
Support & Operations
13
7 f
t.
6’
86 ft.
6’
Existing Mees Observatory
Utility
Main Factors in the size of the Facility:
- Locate telescope above the heat & dust near the ground
Pier66’ x 67’ high
78
ft.
92 ft. high
- Enough space for telescope to rotate with overhead room for maintenance
- A platform lift for the 4.2 m (14 ft.) primary mirror & for large instruments
- A pier big and stable enough for a very rigid foundation on volcanic gravel.
- Space inside the pier for a rotating instrument platform.
- Support building big enough for operating & maintaining the telescope, preparing instruments for use, and for equipment that needs to be close
- Utility building for a back-up generator and cooling equipment
fan
fan
tunnel
u tility sha ft
vehi
cula
r ac
cess
?
icetanks
generator
ExistingCistern
support & operations building
Receiving &Mirror Prep
offices
existing Mees solar observatory
kitchen
Expanded Shop
lab
utility building
existing main observatory road
service &parking area
plenum
EquipmentArea
Platform Lift
Base ofPiers
concrete pier
MirrorCoatingFacility
ventilation
lowerenclosure
ups
ups
ups
cond.
n
ewX
-fo
rmer
hatch
chillers
1050
0 5
30 ft.
10 m
north
Notes:- Building orientation and layout based on CFD analysis and site space restrictions.
- Elevation of ground floor level is 9983' (~4 ft. higher than Mees building floor level)
wastetreatmentplant
50' turning radiusfor trucks
34 m
11.
8 m
controldimensions
elev.
exteriorutility area
thermalground shield(3 m high)
mirror box
20
Building Layout Plan
~78 ft.
View of ATST from Northwest
Materials & Appearance
All exposed exterior surfaces painted white to minimize solar heating
- On critical areas of the dome “Plate-coil” panels with liquid coolant flowing inside to keep surfaces equal to air temperature
- Large ventilation windows to allow wind to blow through
- Plate-coil awnings to shade telescope and dome interior from direct sunlight
- Support building with standard metal building panels on roof & walls
Utility building painted to blend with volcanic rock
Catwalk
Perforated panels to allow air cooling of lower enclosure
White concrete apron for heat shield
- Heat exhaust fans with sound mufflers
Mees
Summary of Site & Building Characteristics
• The two potential sites– At good seeing locations on the existing compound– Enough available area for the proposed ATST facility
• Enclosure would be the most dominant visual element– High enough to allow good seeing conditions for the telescope– Large enough to allow telescope to rotate inside– White to minimize solar heating of surface
• Support & Operations Building– Near the telescope, so also white– Just large enough for telescope-related activities– Existing Mees structure re-utilized for some ATST functions
• Utility Building– Allows remote location and exhaust of heat from surfaces & equipment– Sound insulated and painted brown
ATST Schedule OverviewFY2009 Start
2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
Site ConstructionSite Construction
Telescope & InstrumentIntegration & Commissioning
Telescope & InstrumentIntegration & Commissioning
NSF Cost Review
NSF PanelReview
Site EIS ProcessSite EIS Process
Technology DevelopmentTechnology Development
Concept & DesignConcept & DesignDesign to
Construction Bridge
Design toConstruction Bridge
SDRs
MREFC “Readiness”
ConstructionProposal
Proposed Site Decision
NSF PDR
MREFC Panel “Exit Readiness Review”
NSB
NSF FDR
OMB &Congress
Why an ATST?
Theory and Modeling have gone beyond our ability to test observationally
a b c
a. Numerical simulation of magneto-convection (courtesy of Fausto Cattaneo
b. As viewed with a diffraction limited4-m telescope
c. As viewed with a diffraction limited 1-m telescope
1.1”
Major Questions ATST will Address
• How are the highly intermittent magnetic fields observed at the solar surface generated by dynamo processes and how are they dissipated?
• What magnetic configurations and evolutionary paths lead to flares and coronal mass ejections?
• What mechanisms are responsible for variations in the spectral and total irradiance of the Sun?
Flux Tubes:
DST w/ AO
6 sec exposure G-band
:
The ATST Will:
• Clearly resolve fundamental astrophysical processes at the spatial scale needed to test models
• Provide a high photon flux for accurate and precise measurements of physical parameters throughout the solar atmosphere
– High signal to noise spectro-polarimetry of magnetic field on its elemental scale– Measure magnetic strength and direction, temperature and velocity, on the short
time scales of the dynamic solar atmosphere
• Directly measure coronal and chromospheric magnetic fields• Observationally test models of:
– Magneto-convection– Flux emergence and annihilation– Flux transport– Flux tube formation and evolution– Sunspot magnetic fields and flows– Atmospheric heating– Solar Activity
• Enable, complement and enhance planned space missions
Progress in Solar Physics Needs:
• More Quantitative Data: – Full Stokes Vector Polarimetry– Full line spectroscopy with good spectral resolution
• A “Systems Approach” to get a (more) complete picture– Multi-line, multi-wavelength observations– NIR, Thermal IR
• Better Spatial Resolution!• Higher Temporal Resolution!• Photons, Photons !!!
We need the ATST
Larger Aperture
4m Aperture Solar Telescope withAdaptive Optics
• Unique tool to study the Sun
• Will replace major existing Solar Facilities
• Expected lifetime 30-40 years
• Addresses scientific challenges of today
• Look ahead when defining requirements (e.g. Multi Conjugate Adaptive Optics)
• Able to adapt to new scientific challenges
• Flexibility/Adaptability
fan
fan
tunnel
u tility sha ft
vehi
cula
r ac
cess
?
icetanks
generator
ExistingCistern
support & operations building
Receiving &Mirror Prep
offices
existing Mees solar observatory
kitchen
Expanded Shop
lab
utility building
existing main observatory road
service &parking area
plenum
EquipmentArea
Platform Lift
Base ofPiers
concrete pier
MirrorCoatingFacility
ventilation
lowerenclosure
ups
ups
ups
cond.
n
ewX
-fo
rmer
hatch
chillers
1050
0 5
30 ft.
10 m
north
Notes:- Building orientation and layout based on CFD analysis and site space restrictions.
- Elevation of ground floor level is 9983' (~4 ft. higher than Mees building floor level)
wastetreatmentplant
50' turning radiusfor trucks
34 m
11.
8 m
controldimensions
elev.
exteriorutility area
thermalground shield(3 m high)
mirror box
20
Building Layout Plan
~78 ft.
Schedule Overview
• What is the current schedule?
• When would construction begin?
• When would operations begin?
Jeremy Wagner - Project ManagerMarch 2006
Building Requirements
Astronomers & the public want observatory buildings to be small & invisible.
Engineers & architects define what is needed for protection, operation & maintenance of the telescope, and design minimal-impact structures to suit.
Enclosure (dome):
- Protect the telescope from wind & rain.
- Provide space and equipment to maintain the telescope.
- Prevent solar heating dome skin and other surfaces close to the telescope.
- Allow flow-through natural ventilation of the area around the telescope.
- Allow accurate tracking of the sun through an observing window
Support Buildings:
- Provide space close to telescope and rotating lab for telescope operation & scientific activities
- Provide space for related administrative & maintenance activities and for equipment
- Do not harm the “seeing” quality - Put buildings downwind of telescope - Avoid solar heating of surfaces - Exhaust heat from equipment away from the telescope
ATST Collaboration
• PI– National Solar Observatory
• Co-PIs– High Altitude Observatory – University of Hawaii – University of Chicago – New Jersey Institute of Technology
• Collaborators– 22+ Universities and Institutions
• International Partnerships
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