The PLATO dome a site-testing observatory: Instrumentation and first results

H. Yang; G. Allen; M. C B Ashley; C. S. Bonner; S. Bradley; X. Cui; J. R. Everett; L. Feng; X. Gong; S. Hengst; J. Hu; Z. Jiang; C. A. Kulesa; J. S. Lawrence; Y. Li; D. Luong-Van; M. J. McCaughrean; A. M. Moore; C. Pennypacker; W. Qin; R. Riddle; Z. Shang; J. W V Storey; B. Sun; N. Suntzeff; N. F H Tothill; T. Travouillon; C. K. Walker; L. Wang; J. Yan; J. Yang; D. York; X. Yuan; X. Zhang; Z. Zhang; X. Zhou; Z. Zhu

doi:10.1086/597547

The PLATO dome a site-testing observatory: Instrumentation and first results

H. Yang^*, G. Allen, M. C B Ashley, C. S. Bonner, S. Bradley, X. Cui, J. R. Everett, L. Feng, X. Gong, S. Hengst, J. Hu, Z. Jiang, C. A. Kulesa, J. S. Lawrence, Y. Li, D. Luong-Van, M. J. McCaughrean, A. M. Moore, C. Pennypacker, W. QinR. Riddle, Z. Shang, J. W V Storey, B. Sun, N. Suntzeff, N. F H Tothill, T. Travouillon, C. K. Walker, L. Wang, J. Yan, J. Yang, D. York, X. Yuan, X. Zhang, Z. Zhang, X. Zhou, Z. Zhu

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

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Abstract

The PLATeau Observatory (PLATO) is an automated self-powered astrophysical observatory that was deployed to Dome A, the highest point on the Antarctic plateau, in 2008 January. PLATO consists of a suite of site-testing instruments designed to quantify the benefits of the Dome A site for astronomy, and science instruments designed to take advantage of the unique observing conditions. Instruments include CSTAR, an array of optical telescopes for transient astronomy; Gattini, an instrument to measure the optical sky brightness and cloud cover statistics; DASLE, an experiment to measure the statistics of the meteorological conditions within the near-surface layer; Pre-HEAT, a submillimeter tipping radiometer measuring the atmospheric transmission and water vapor content and performing spectral line imaging of the Galactic plane; and Snodar, an acoustic radar designed to measure turbulence within the near-surface layer. PLATO has run completely unattended and collected data throughout the winter 2008 season. Here we present a detailed description of the PLATO instrument suite and preliminary results obtained from the first season of operation.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	174-184
Number of pages	11
Journal	Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Volume	121
Issue number	876
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/597547
Publication status	Published - Feb 2009
Externally published	Yes

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Yang, H., Allen, G., Ashley, M. C. B., Bonner, C. S., Bradley, S., Cui, X., Everett, J. R., Feng, L., Gong, X., Hengst, S., Hu, J., Jiang, Z., Kulesa, C. A., Lawrence, J. S., Li, Y., Luong-Van, D., McCaughrean, M. J., Moore, A. M., Pennypacker, C., ... Zhu, Z. (2009). The PLATO dome a site-testing observatory: Instrumentation and first results. Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, 121(876), 174-184. https://doi.org/10.1086/597547

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title = "The PLATO dome a site-testing observatory: Instrumentation and first results",

abstract = "The PLATeau Observatory (PLATO) is an automated self-powered astrophysical observatory that was deployed to Dome A, the highest point on the Antarctic plateau, in 2008 January. PLATO consists of a suite of site-testing instruments designed to quantify the benefits of the Dome A site for astronomy, and science instruments designed to take advantage of the unique observing conditions. Instruments include CSTAR, an array of optical telescopes for transient astronomy; Gattini, an instrument to measure the optical sky brightness and cloud cover statistics; DASLE, an experiment to measure the statistics of the meteorological conditions within the near-surface layer; Pre-HEAT, a submillimeter tipping radiometer measuring the atmospheric transmission and water vapor content and performing spectral line imaging of the Galactic plane; and Snodar, an acoustic radar designed to measure turbulence within the near-surface layer. PLATO has run completely unattended and collected data throughout the winter 2008 season. Here we present a detailed description of the PLATO instrument suite and preliminary results obtained from the first season of operation.",

author = "H. Yang and G. Allen and Ashley, {M. C B} and Bonner, {C. S.} and S. Bradley and X. Cui and Everett, {J. R.} and L. Feng and X. Gong and S. Hengst and J. Hu and Z. Jiang and Kulesa, {C. A.} and Lawrence, {J. S.} and Y. Li and D. Luong-Van and McCaughrean, {M. J.} and Moore, {A. M.} and C. Pennypacker and W. Qin and R. Riddle and Z. Shang and Storey, {J. W V} and B. Sun and N. Suntzeff and Tothill, {N. F H} and T. Travouillon and Walker, {C. K.} and L. Wang and J. Yan and J. Yang and D. York and X. Yuan and X. Zhang and Z. Zhang and X. Zhou and Z. Zhu",

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doi = "10.1086/597547",

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Yang, H, Allen, G, Ashley, MCB, Bonner, CS, Bradley, S, Cui, X, Everett, JR, Feng, L, Gong, X, Hengst, S, Hu, J, Jiang, Z, Kulesa, CA, Lawrence, JS, Li, Y, Luong-Van, D, McCaughrean, MJ, Moore, AM, Pennypacker, C, Qin, W, Riddle, R, Shang, Z, Storey, JWV, Sun, B, Suntzeff, N, Tothill, NFH, Travouillon, T, Walker, CK, Wang, L, Yan, J, Yang, J, York, D, Yuan, X, Zhang, X, Zhang, Z, Zhou, X & Zhu, Z 2009, 'The PLATO dome a site-testing observatory: Instrumentation and first results', Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, vol. 121, no. 876, pp. 174-184. https://doi.org/10.1086/597547

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T2 - Instrumentation and first results

AU - Yang, H.

AU - Allen, G.

AU - Ashley, M. C B

AU - Bonner, C. S.

AU - Bradley, S.

AU - Cui, X.

AU - Everett, J. R.

AU - Feng, L.

AU - Gong, X.

AU - Hengst, S.

AU - Hu, J.

AU - Jiang, Z.

AU - Kulesa, C. A.

AU - Lawrence, J. S.

AU - Li, Y.

AU - Luong-Van, D.

AU - McCaughrean, M. J.

AU - Moore, A. M.

AU - Pennypacker, C.

AU - Qin, W.

AU - Riddle, R.

AU - Shang, Z.

AU - Storey, J. W V

AU - Sun, B.

AU - Suntzeff, N.

AU - Tothill, N. F H

AU - Travouillon, T.

AU - Walker, C. K.

AU - Wang, L.

AU - Yan, J.

AU - Yang, J.

AU - York, D.

AU - Yuan, X.

AU - Zhang, X.

AU - Zhang, Z.

AU - Zhou, X.

AU - Zhu, Z.

PY - 2009/2

Y1 - 2009/2

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JO - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

JF - Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific

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ER -

The PLATO dome a site-testing observatory: Instrumentation and first results

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