Expressions of Intent for International Polar Year 2007-2008 Activities

Expression of Interest Details

PROPOSAL INFORMATION

Dome A – evaluating the world’s premier site for observational astronomy  (Astronomy from Dome A (ADA))

Outline
It has long been recognised that the Antarctic plateau provides the best sites on the Earth’s surface for the conduct of a wide range of observational astronomy, from optical to millimetre wavelengths. This is on account of the extremely cold, dry and stable air above the Antarctic plateau. This allows observations to be made of the cosmos, with greater sensitivity and clarity, and across a wider part of the electromagnetic spectrum, than from any ground-based site elsewhere. This project aims to obtain the first astronomical data from Dome A, the 4,100m summit of the Antarctic plateau, and so determine whether it is indeed the pre-eminent location on the Earth for observational astronomy. The project builds upon a decade of site testing experience, at both the South Pole and at Dome C, including the development of autonomous observatories that can gather the data over the Antarctic winter, while communicating with their operations centres in temperate-latitude localities via satellite phones. As the coldest and driest location in Antarctica, and with the lowest wind speed (the katabatic wind begins at the highest point of the Antarctic plateau), Dome A is expected to provide superior conditions for astronomy to both the South Pole and Dome C. This project will quantify these gains, and so provide the basis for deciding upon the location of future “grand design” facilities, for example whether a telescope built at Dome A would be able to discover and characterise other earth-like planets in our Galaxy. It also opens up one of the last frontiers on our planet to human exploration.Dome A has not yet been visited by humans (though this will change this austral summer with the visit of a Chinese expedition). The IPY provides the opportunity to obtain baseline measurements from this, the most remote location on Earth. The IPY also occurs as the capability to conduct science at Dome A has become possible. An expedition to Dome A can be supported via a combination of overland traverse (for equipment) and air support (for personnel), as for example, the way Concordia Station is accessed. The technology to conduct the experiments has been demonstrated through the autonomous operation of the AASTINO (Automated Astrophysical Site Testing International Observatory) at Dome C, for instance through the measurement of the lowest levels of astronomical “seeing” ever recorded this past winter (with the analysis and publication of the results in the journal Nature taking place before anyone had even returned to the site for the 04/05 summer).This project will bring an AASTINO to Dome A during the IPY by overland traverse (probably from Dome C). It will bring the personnel to activate the observatory there by air. Over the subsequent winter, remote experiments will be conducted to measure the sky brightness at infrared and sub-millimetre wavelengths, the atmospheric water vapour content and the strength of the turbulence in, and the extent of, the surface inversion layer. These will provide the baseline measurements needed to quantify the site conditions, and so enable the potential of Dome A for a future astronomical observatory to be assessed. This entire program will be conducted under the aegis of an outreach program, bringing the excitement and immediacy of Antarctic science to a worldwide audience, utilising satellite communications and the internet to reach its audience.If the opportunity presents itself through synergies with other IPY programs, additional AASTINOs could also be deployed to other high plateau sites such as Vostok and Dome F, to evaluate the conditions there. These sites already have stations at them and are higher than Dome C, and so are potentially superior for some kinds of astronomical observations.

What significant advance(s) in relation to the IPY themes and targets can be anticipated from this project?
§ Theme 5: to determine the potential of Dome A as a vantage point for fundamental astronomical observations; for instance the search for earth-like planets in the Galaxy.§ Theme 4: to quantify the characteristics of the most extreme environment on the Earth’s surface.§ Theme 1: to provide benchmark measurements from the coldest location on the Earth.§ Targets Observational Program 5 (implementation of polar observatories to study important facets of planet Earth and beyond) and Program 4 (internationally coordinated investigations into new scientific frontiers).§ Target audiences include the public (outreach), school children (education), the next generation of scientists (inspiration) and decision makers (information).

What international collaboration is involved in this project?
International collaboration is essential for this program’s success, as it will rely on both an overland traverse and air support. Countries participating in this proposal include Australia, China, France, Italy, Japan, New Zealand, the UK and the USA. The logistical needs of the program could be met through involvement with the proposed IPY-ITASE traverse, which aims to obtain a set of ice cores along the Antarctic plateau summit ridge. There is also overlap with proposed IPY programs from China (187, 188), France (338b), Italy (132), Japan (428) and Sweden (86). [This program features as #413 in this list.]

FIELD ACTIVITY DETAILS

Geographical location(s) for the proposed field activities:
The AASTINO will be located at Dome A (81S, 77E, 4100m). To be supported via traverse, probably from Dome C (75S, 123E, 3200m) along the summit ridge of the Antarctic plateau. Depending on available logistics (and possible traverse routes), AASTINO’s could also be deployed to Dome F (77S, 40E, 3800m) and Vostok (78S, 106E, 3500m).

Approximate timeframe(s) for proposed field activities:
Arctic: n/a
Antarctic: 11/07 – 01/09            

Significant facilities will be required for this project:
Overland traverse required to bring AASTINO (together with instrumentation and fuel) to Dome A. Resources can readily be shared with other projects which require Antarctic plateau traverses. The AASTINO weighs about 4 tonnes and could be added as a separate trailer to a traverse, for instance to Dome A along the ridge of the Antarctic plateau from Dome C, or from a coastal station. Air support (e.g. by Twin Otter or CASA 212) would be required to bring personnel to Dome A to ready the instrumentation for operation.A cut-down version of the AASTINO, with a minimal instrumentation suite, could also be delivered directly to Dome A via air, without the need for an overland traverse. The scientific capability of the facility, however, would be considerably reduced, including our ability to conduct complementary outreach activities.If there was also an opportunity of deploying AASTINOs at Dome F and/or Vostok this would be accomplished through the construction of additional units.

Will the project leave a legacy of infrastructure?
The AASTINO will provide a laboratory that can be used to support future scientific experiments. Yearly maintenance (conducted via air support), including replenishment of fuel and replacement of instrumentation, would allow for a variety of future scientific uses.

How is it envisaged that the required logistic support will be secured?

Program can be shared with other planned traverses along plateau ridge.

Has the project been "endorsed" at a national or international level?
Y § Endorsed by Antarctic Astronomy and Astrophysics Expert Group of the SCAR Standing Scientific Group for Physical Sciences.§ Endorsement has been requested from national program operators.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT AND STRUCTURE

Is the project a short-term expansion (over the IPY 2007-2008 timeframe) of an existing plan, programme or initiative or is it a new autonomous proposal?
yes

Astronomical site testing of the Antarctic plateau has been conducted for over a decade, initially at the South Pole, and for the past 3 years at Dome C. This program represents an extension of this activity, to a location where there is no established infrastructure. However it builds on the experience of autonomous, remote operation established by the AASTO (South Pole) and AASTINO (Dome C) observatories.

How will the project be organised and managed?
The project will be organised as a collaboration between scientists of the participating countries. The lead organisation will be the University of New South Wales (UNSW) in Australia, who designed and operate the AASTINO. Management will be coordinated through the Centre of Excellence in Antarctic Astronomy, to be run from UNSW with members from 18 institutions and 7 countries. Dialogue will be maintained with other groups involved in IPY traverses to ensure that the scientific requirements of all projects can be met.

What are the initial plans of the project for addressing the education, outreach and communication issues outlined in the Framework document?
A successful, and long-established outreach program has been conducted during the past decade of astronomical site testing activity in Antarctica. This centres on the daily Antarctic diaries published electronically by the participating scientists, the web camera at South Pole and Dome C, and an ongoing program of public talks and magazine articles (see, for instance, www.phys.unsw.edu.au/jacara). We aim to continue this program, in particular making use of satellite communications to bring the immediacy of the project to the target audiences.

What are the initial plans of the project to address data management issues (as outlined in the Framework document?
Data will be published in peer-reviewed scientific journals, as has been the practice over the entire astronomical site testing program. The data itself will be made publicly available through the Antarctic Data Centre system, again as has been standard practice, with appropriate metadata records to allow easy access to electronic queries. Web sites of the partners also provide direct access to the available material.

How is it proposed to fund the project?
§ Funding for the facility (i.e. the AASTINO and its associated instrumentation and power systems) will be sought through the normal science funding agencies in the collaborating countries (as per the way the site testing programs at the South Pole and Dome C have been supported).§ Logistical support (in particular for overland traverse and air access) will be requested from national Antarctic program operators.

Is there additional information you wish to provide?
Dome A is the last frontier in the Antarctic to be explored, the most remote and extreme environment on the Earth’s surface. At the start of the third millennium, human ingenuity has driven the development of technology to the level where it can now support scientific endeavours at this last outpost on the Earth. Furthermore, it is expected that Dome A will provide the foremost location on our planet for the exploration of the cosmos. It is fitting and beautiful that Antarctica, the last place on our own Earth to be fully explored, may turn out to be the best place from which to discover new earths.

PROPOSER DETAILS

Associate Professor Michael Burton
University of New South Wales
Sydney
NSW
2052
Australia

Tel: 61-2-9385-5618
Mobile: 61-412-673-269
Fax: 61-2-9385-6060
Email:

Other project members and their affiliation