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Abstract Review
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| Authors |
| Name | | Affiliation |
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Elena Masciadri |
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INAF-Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri
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| Abstract |
| Session | | 3 (Approaches for modeling atmospheric optical turbulence.) |
| Title | | 'Optical Turbulence simulations with meso-scale models. Towards a new ground-based astronomy era.
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| Abstract | | The optical turbulence characterization made with atmospherical meso-scale models for astronomical applications is a relatively recent approach (first studies have been published in the ninety). Simulations retrieved from such models can be fundamental for the optimization of the AO techniques and characterization and selection of astronomical sites. In most cases, simulations and measurements provide complementary information on turbulence features.
The potentialities related to the numerical approach and the most fundamental scientific challenges related to meso-scale atmospheric models rely upon the possibility (1) to describe a 3D map of the CN2 in a region around a telescope, (2) to forecast the optical turbulence i.e. to know with some hours in advance the state of the turbulence conditions above an astronomical site and (3) to perform a climatology of the optical turbulence extended over decades. The forecast of the optical turbulence is a fundamental requirement for the optimization of the management of the scientific programs to be carried out at ground-based telescopes foci. Ground-based astronomy will remain competitive with respect to the space-based one only if telescopes management will be performed taking advantage of the best turbulence conditions. The future of new ground-based telescopes generation relies therefore upon the success of these studies.
No other tool of investigation with comparable potentialities can be figured out at present to achieve these 3 scientific goals.
However, these highly challenging goals are associated to an intrinsic difficulty in parameterizing a physical process such as turbulence evolving at spatial and temporal scales smaller than what usually resolved by a meso-scale model.
In this talk I will summarize the main results and progress achieved so far in this field since the ninety and I will present the most important scientific goals for the near and far future research. I will conclude with a brief presentation of the main research lines and motivations supporting the project (FOROT) on-going at the Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri (Italy).
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