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National Science Foundation Award #0440874

Atmospheric Surface Layer Turbulence at Dome C

Investigator(s):

Tony Travouillon (PI)

Sponsor:

California Institute of Technology, CA 91125 6263956073

Start Date/Expiration Date

2005-06-15 to 2007-05-31 (amended 2005-06-13)

Awarded Amount to Date:

$114,199

Abstract: This proposal is to design, build, and install a set of small instruments (sonic anemometers) near the AASTINO hub (deployed two years ago at the French-Italian Station Concordia by the University of South Wales, Australia) for the measurements and analysis of the atmospheric surface layer turbulence at Dome C. The measurements will be undertaken at four different heights (3, 10, 20, and 30 m) using sonic anemometers placed along a 30 m mast already installed at Dome C. The requested funding will finance the instrumentation design and further data analysis; the USAP and European collaborators will provide logistic support for the instrument deployment. By interpolating and integrating these measurements, it will be possible to calculate the surface layer component of the astronomical seeing at Dome C. The scientific motivations of the proposed study are the following: (1) To collect information on the atmospheric turbulence profile above Dome C. This result is important to compare this site to other existing or potential observatory sites. The lowest (~30-200 m) portion of the polar atmosphere is particularly important for future astronomical projects, which will be affected by this near-surface turbulence. The spatial and temporal evolution of the turbulence in the (likely) 30-m high layer at Dome C is therefore critical to projects people are currently proposing for this site. (2) Other fields of science, notably atmospheric sciences and geophysics, might find great interest in these measurements because other parameters such as temperature, wind speed and direction, and surface heat flux can be derived from the proposed measurements. These parameters help understand the structure of the near-surface airflow over the Antarctic continent. The collected data will be made available to the international scientific community via a dedicated Web site.

NSF Org:

ANT - Antarctic Sciences Section

Award Number:

0440874

Award Instrument:

Standard Grant

Program Manager:

Vladimir Papitashvili
ANT Antarctic Sciences Section
OPP Office of Polar Programs

NSF Program(s):

ANTARCTIC AERONOMY & ASTROPHYS

Field Application(s):

Program Reference Code(s):

UNASSIGNED, 0000

Program Element Code(s):

5115